Raven's Legacy
by Blade Liger Knight
Summary: What happens to our heroes after the Final four? Well it's not always a happy ending. With new villains and a deadly new disease, our heroes have their work cut out for them! RavenRyss, VF, IM. Complete!
1. Memories

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

AN: Well here's my first Raven and Ryss fic, we need more of em, so I decided to put mine up. I hope you like it. Oh and the start is kinda slow and not very well written, but it gets better around chapter 11, so if you're new to my story please just stick with it. It gets better I promise.

_Italic's is thinking_

**Chapter One**

Somewhere to the East of the zoid eve, A red Tyrann Zoid glowed orange from the camp fire below. 

Raven sat near the fire, with Shadow resting next to his master.

Ryss was stationed across from him, also near her own zoid partner. She gazed over the fire to see Raven's mark glowing an orange instead of its normal red; like his zoid above him. Never did she expect him to accept her like this, not after their first meeting, when his Geno Breaker evolved from the Geno Saurer. They definetly wern't on friendly terms back then, but for some reason, Raven had a change of heart after Shadow died, or maybe it merely opened his heart to the only person that actually cared about him. Whatever the case, the two of them learned to get along with each other, their organoids, however, were another story.

She had so many questions, might as well start with the most obvious one. "Raven?..." The blue haired zoidian asked in a unsure voice.

"Yeah?" The dark pilot responded, looking up from the fire.

"Why...why do you allow me to stay with you?...I know if-you wanted to, you could just leave me here." She answered timidly.

Raven looked back to the fire as he replied. "That's just it, I'm _allowing_ you to come with me, and that's all...nothing more nor less."

Ryss gazed downward, mumbling under her breath. "Well that's better then Hillz's damned conditions." She cringed at the thought.

"What was that Ryss?" He asked, almost currious.

"Um...nothing-just awful memories..." The Zoidian looked down to her Organoid, not wanting to discuss the matter.

Raven glared at her, after defying his question. "So why don't you tell me about it, after all you made me watch my crap ass past." His face slightly annoyed.

"Uh...well there was Nichalo..." Ryss thought as she tried to remember the boy, so kind to her when she was released from her capsule all those year's ago. _"Ok that wasn't what I was fuming about, but he won't know the difference...right?"_

"Yeah, you mentioned him before...when your fever held you unconscious." The zoid pilot ignored her almost panicked state, that would probably be overlooked by anyone else, but for some reason, Raven noticed her uneasiness. "What else?"

"What?" Ryss looked up, almost stuned. "Huh...well-he...he died." She whispered in reply, as her eyes burned with pain.

Raven fixed his eyes to hers, as he replied, "Look Ryss, I know what it's like to lose someone you care about, but if you don't move on...you'll end up just like them."

The blue orb'd zoidian glared back. "Don't you think I know that Raven! After all I had to put up with that bastard Hillz for so long!"

Raven merely smirked at her outburst, satisfied of getting the answer he wanted. "You had a thing for him didn't you?"

"What? no! never!" She looked away. "well...he did take me in, when no one else accepted me..." Making the truth show all over her face.

"So what made you change your mind?" The raven wanted to know.

Ryss met his gaze, with a scowl. "Why do you care so much anyway?"

"It's not that I care, as much as I am curious." The Pilot stated flatly, as he stood, and walked into the nearby forest. "Shadow!"

The dark Organoid jumped forward and followed his master obediently.

Ryss stared into the fire with irritation. "The answer is you Raven, you changed my mind." She whispered to the night air.

* * *

When Ryss noticed he wasn't coming back for awhile, she stood and walked over next to the Geno breaker. She laid back on the ground to stare at the stars. 

After some time, Raven made it back and Ryss was next to his zoid. He started to walking over to her, as he passed a growling Specula next to the fire. _No funny stuff, Got it?_

After the protective zoid's threat, Raven made his way over to Ryss and sat down beside her. He looked at her for a second, but her eyes never left the sky.

He laid back to see what was so interesting, when Ryss was first to break the silence. "I think there are two kind's of people, the first group like stars, and the second like clouds."

A few seconds had passed, as Raven replied, "I'm in the lighting group..."

"That wasn't an option!" Ryss argued.

"I always have an option." Raven argued back.

* * *

AN: There I went through and rewrote it all in _past_ tence, personally I think its way better that way...anyway please review if you haven't already. 


	2. Stars

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

Authers note: Ok I changed this chapter AGAIN, because I just wasn't happy with it before. I think I'm finally satisfied with it now, but anyway, the first part was taken from the episode: "The distant stars" Best episode ever! cause it was about RAVEN! yeah and I do not in any way own that content, just wanted to make sure I don't get sue'd. Enjoy:)

_Italic's are thinking._

**Chapter Two**

_"The stars look amazing tonight." A raven haired boy exclaimed._

_"They really are beautiful arn't they. Far across the milky way lies our home. The blue planet." A man next to the boy replied._

_"hmm father, are there zoids on that planet too?"_

_"I don't know, I guess there might be."_

_"I hope there arn't any."_

_"Hm? why?"_

_"I don't like Zoids and I've never liked them, that's why." The boy said with a scowl._

_"Listen to me son. You know my work is very important and I know that sometimes it takes more time than it should. I'm sorry that I haven't been able to spend as much time with you as I would have liked." The boy's father stated and placed a hand on the boy's head._

_"Honey! you should come quickly! The organoid capsule is beginning to stir!" A woman shouted from a door, behind the two._

_"I'm coming! just a minute." The man replied and turned back to his son. "Oh by the way, how about when we finish working on this organoid. Us all going on a holiday together?"_

_"Ha! yeah!"_

_And with a laugh and a wink the father left the boy to rejoice over the thought._

The piercing memory of his mother screaming, shook the dark warrior from his nightmare and sent him into a sitting position. As he examined his surroundings, a fire flickered lightly a few feet away. It was still dark, but not far from sunrise, as there was a cool desert breeze blowing through the pilot's camp.

Raven felt like he had just fell asleep, but then-. "That same dream." He whispered, putting a hand to his head. Then looking to his left, he noticed Ryss stir slightly in her sleeping bag; as she faced her blue organoid resting beside her. _"For Zoid Eve's sake, why does she insist on sleeping so close to me?"_ He thought before sighing and returning his head to the ground; in an attempt to sleep without interruption.

Shadow raised his head and hummed softly, from the other side of the fire: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Raven replied, slightly irritated. "Go to sleep Shadow."

Shadow grumbled but obeyed, laying his head back down.

"What dream?" Questioned Ryss, still facing opposite of the maverick.

"The one with my parents." A moment had passed before he'd finally decided to answer her, something she had gotten use to; since Raven never really was one to be verbal. So she'd learned to be patient with him when it came to his responses.

"You mean. When Ambient-" The zoidian started.

"Yeah that one." Raven answered flatly, before she could continue.

"I'm sorry." She said, putting a hand to her sleeping organoid's snout. "For what?" Raven asked and sighed, feeling even more fatigued.

"For making you relive your past."

"Don't worry about it Ryss. It's _in_ the past." Raven applied a hand to his eyes, trying to relieve the sudden pressure in his head.

"Whats wrong?" Ryss wanted to know, as she sat erect looking down at the dark pilot.

He sighed again. "I can't sleep, not after that blasted dream again."

She smiled warmly at him. "I can help with that."

He just glared at her. "No thanks, I don't need any help with my _headaches_."

She frowned and looked away. "I have the ability to relieve the pressure Raven, why won't you let me help you?"

Raven growled and rolled to his right side. "Go to sleep Ryss."

She moaned in defeat, and settled back into her sleeping bag. "Are you _that_ afraid of my powers Raven?" She asked quietly; hoping to get the last word in.

"I am afraid of _nothing_ Ryss." He retorted within a second.

"I think you are afraid Raven."

With that, the maverick rolled to face the zoidian that had her back to him. "I'm not scared of you or your powers and I never have been." He spoke with acid right above her head, making her look up to meet his eyes, that seemed to glow blood red in the light of the fire.

"But you are. Your scared something will happen to me, the same as your parents. And that's why you refuse to get close to anyone. To me."

This caused him to narrowed his eyes, as he tried to think of a come back, but when nothing came, "Fine. Do what you will." He said finally as he laid back resting his head on his hands; as if waiting for something amazing to happen.

Ryss grinned at this, she had finally won an argument with him, and it felt pretty good! "So do you want the full treatment?" She mocked.

When she got no response, she figured it would be smarter and 'healthier' if she just get it over with. After all, Raven didn't seem to be in the mood for jokes at the moment.

Closing her eyes Ryss began probing the warriors consciousness. After a few seconds the zoidian found herself struggling with the barrier Raven had set up around his mind. She scoffed. "Raven your going to have to let me in. If you want me to help you."

He said nothing, merely stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. "What's wrong? Don't you trust me?" She questioned in a playful manner.

Raven's emotionless gaze went from her to the stars, as he kept silent. The clear sky and light wind seemed to calm him the most at the moment, since Ryss sure wasn't helping; she only seemed to make his head hurt worse.

Ryss sighed looking away from him. "Why?" She whispered.

"They look the same." He said finally.

"What?" She turned to see his eyes still searching upward.

"The stars." He looked at her. "Their the same as my dream. The only thing the same, it seems." He stated calmly, as his gaze went from her to his scared right hand.

She smiled. "If you don't want me to help you, then I won't." Ryss said sadly.

"It's not that Ryss I jus-"

"It's fine." She replied quickly cutting him off. "Just forget it." The woman said and returned to her former position in her bed roll.

"Ryss," moaned Raven as he traded positions with her yet again. As often as the two were sitting up and down again, it was a miracle that the dark organoid watching both of them, wasn't getting dizzy!

Raven sat for a long moment, thinking out his next course of action. _"Ryss if you only knew how confused I am right now..."_ He stared at her, never looking away as he spoke. "Ryss. Do you remember when we first met?" He stopped, hoping she would at least look at him as a response. "I imagine you do." He stood. "Do you remember giving me a scar?" She still showed no movement, even as he kneeled behind her. "In any rate. I doubt you know what I vowed that day." This caught her attention as she tipped her head to look over her shoulder. He smirked as he placed his scared hand on her cheek making her look strait up at him. "I said you would never get that close to me again." She stared at him for moment, wondering why he just told her that.

"Y-yeah I remember. And I only slashed you because you struck first." The raven laughed slightly and softly, as Ryss smiled finally.

"True but you shouldn't have snuck up on me." She fought his hand to look away. Knowing he was right.

Raven smiled at her reaction as he continued to stare at her. "I was curious. That's all." The zoidian muttered.

His eyes softened as she continued to look away from him. "I'll tell you something." He said as he pulled her to a sitting position in his arms, grasped her with one arm around her waste, the other gripping her shoulder firmly.

"R-Raven?" Ryss swore. She did not expect that! in fact this was the farthest thing from her mind at the moment.

She was about to protest, but as she opened her mouth to speak, the warrior had already locked his lips to hers; in a not-so-tender kiss. _"Damn! he's like a vise!"_ She thought, trying her best to survive his 'embrace'.

Raven pulled away after the small heated moment, wondering why in hell he just did what he did. He soon found his answer at the blue orbed woman's reaction. "Raven have you any idea how long I waited for that? And then you suddenly ju-" He put a finger to her mouth.

"Are you going to let me tell you, or are you going to keep talking?" She kept silent as he lowered his hand and laid her on her back. "I'd say your closer this time. Ancient zoidian." His voice almost a whisper as he spoke and began kissing her with more intensity.

Both Organoids, now completely _disgusted_ with their masters, tried their hardest to ignore them. Specula somehow having more success than the dark one, not a whole lot more though, as her master made a strange noise and pushed Raven from his subduing activity. He looked at her, a hint of confusion in his eyes. Ryss smiled mischievously as she somehow set him off balance and switched positions, with her now sitting atop.

He raised an eyebrow and stared up at her for a moment. "I may be new at this, but I don't think this is how it works."

"Why, whatever do you mean Raven? This is a brand new game, anything goes." The woman said and pinned him down with both hand on his shoulders.

"New _game_?" Raven replied with skeptical look.

_"Oh that's right, that must be a foreign word to him." _Ryss smiled after seeing his confused expression. "What's wrong Raven, don't you know how?"

A few seconds passed, as he cracked a small smile. "Anything goes?"

She barely got to nod, when he easily overpowered, and tipped her, again switching positions with her. This caused her to growl as she hit him on the chest. "You jerk, you were playing to begin with!"

He smirked playfully at her. "You said anything goes." Raven retorted with a calm, cool voice.

Ryss scowled and struggled a bit, trying to break his balance again, but not much success this time, as she soon gave up. "It's your turn to make a rule." She muttered under her breath.

"Hm, fine. I win." He declared simply.

"What?" Ryss asked feeling cheated somehow.

"After ten seconds on top you win, so I win." He explained and had a confident smirk on his face as he leaned down only inches from her's. "Does that work for you?"

She smiled in spite of her slight agitation and closed the small gap between them.

Before they could progress any further, Shadow stood with imence speed, Specula following right after. Both of them stared off toward the east, growling uneasily.

Raven and Ryss shot glares to their respective zoids, both having a look of surprise and annoyance. "Shadow what's wrong?" Asked Raven as he sat up and pulled Ryss onto his lap.

A zoid was on it's way. A zoid any normal person wouldn't be able to make out, but for Raven, someone trained and taught to study a zoid's movements, it was easy. "Damn, it's some type of liger." He swore and stood, forcibly making Ryss stand with him. "Get to a safe distance. This shouldn't take long."

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Great. The one time I get you-"

"Now Ryss!" He barked and cut her off, before opening his cockpit and stepping in.

"Right away," she mocked with a fakish salute and started walking, as the Geno Breaker powered up with glowing eyes that soon looked to the incoming zoid. _"He's a completely different person when there's a fight to be fought." _She thought and sighed, while making her way somewhere out of range.

It's movements were strange for a liger, it moved almost like a Lightning Saix, but had more of a _jump_ to it's pace. "Wing Liger," Raven uttered when the info popped on the status screen.

It didn't look like any liger he'd ever seen, not as bulky as the Shield liger or the Blade liger, infact to put it simply, it looked like a Blade liger's skeletal if it had one.

Not thirty seconds passed and it was standing right before the maverick.

The pilot opened a link to the Geno Breaker. "500 Zi, if you don't have it, then your zoid is the ante." The mysterious pilot said.

"Works for me." Raven said, and pushed a few buttons, preparing for the battle.

The battle started when the strange liger made a fast jump to the GB's head. "Ha! take that!" The liger pilot said before landing, which never came, as the Geno breaker shot it's claw and threw the liger to the ground.

It was about to stand when the GB's right foot forced it back down. "Give up." Raven said and held the red dragon's head aimed at the liger's cockpit, with small particles gathering near it's mouth.

"What? Your not actually going to shoot that are you?" The panic stricken pilot shouted and tried to break free.

"Last warning." The dark one said.

"Fine! Yes I give up!" He said and threw a tube from his cockpit containing the money before Raven let his zoid up and watched him take off in a dead run.

He jumped from his zoid and picked the tube of prize money from the ground. "400, damn fool." He muttered and tossed the money in the back as he foot locking the GB, preparing for a CPG aimed at the retreating zoid. If he didn't want to pay up, he sure the hell had a long walk ahead of him.

* * *

Authors Note: Well...huuuuh...don't ask me I just write the stuff...heh was that bad or was that bad? tell me what you think.:) 


	3. When idiots attack

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

Authors Note: Ok decided to put Stinger in this, cause I figured no one like's him anyway. If you don't know who he is, he's the nancy boy in Zoids, that nobody likes. You'll understand what I mean when you read this chappy.

_Italic's is thinking._

**Chapter Three**

Back at camp, Ryss had made her way back with Specular, after she was told to find safe ground. 

_"That guy is gonna make a move soon...Wait he already has...Well he's going to make another one! I can just see it coming, and it doesn't help matters when my master is...Well I don't know what she's doing exactly...but it only encourages bad things whatever it is!"_ Specula thought in a panic, after the two zoid pilots had their little 'Special moments.' She roared a, "I have to stop this!"

Ryss merely raised an eyebrow, toward the blue zoid.

"Specula, what's your problem?" Ryss wanted to know, thinking her zoid has gone crazy.

Specula looked around in a panic, then spotted the Geno Breaker and Shadow as they both landed nearby. "Uuuuhh...Shadow!" She ran over to Shadow and tackled him, Saying, "We have to stop them! It's all your master's fault!"

"Liar! it's more like the other way around! You stupid female!" Shadow retorted.

Raven made his way around them, staring as he thought to himself, _"Now I know that doesn't look right..."  
_  
"What's with them?" He questioned as he got back to camp.

Ryss shrugged. "Who knows. So did you cripple his zoid to your satisfaction?" She asked, as Raven now stood beside her.

"No, but it will have a permanent limp." He replied and stared at her for a moment.

Ryss stared back and tilted her head a bit. "So, where were we exactly?" She said that only seconds before he pulled her closer by the waist and was about to advance further when the sound of thunder was heard.

"Ah hell!" Raven cursed as it began sprinkling.

The woman smiled mischdievously. "Well this is new,"

He glared at her with an, 'I don't think so' look.

"What is it Raven, afraid of a little rain?" she asked tauntingly.

"I'm leaving, you can stay here if you want." He spat and swiftly made his way to the red zoid.

"Sheesh it was just a joke." Ryss rolled her eyes and followed. "Specula! let's go!" she summoned before getting into the Geno Breaker.

Shadow and Specula raised their heads from their arguing and obeyed, following the Breaker when it took off.

* * *

The rain had stopped briefly, as Raven started to look for a place to stop for the night, since the worst of the storm was still on its way, they needed to at least find a cave to stay the night. 

Ryss stood, from the back of the cockpit. "Uh Raven? I though we were looking for a village or a town..."

"Yeah, well I miss calculated, we should be in one by tomorrow." The dark one replied.

"Well that's great...but what about right now?"

"Ok look, do you wanna drive?" The raven haired pilot spat.

Ryss just put her hands up and sat back down, thinking, _"Yeah right, like he'd let me drive his zoid, I doubt that."_

Suddenly the Geno Breaker jolted violently; being hit by missiles from an unknown source.

"What the? Grrr they'll pay for that! Ryss are you ok?" Raven's eyes widen as he looked back to see her head bleeding and unconscious.

He turned his attention back to a Red Horn, now standing before him. Raven griped the controls, and switched the foot locks on.

Stinger opened a com link from the Red Horn. "Hand over the organoids and we'll let you go, if not then I guess we'll just have to destroy you."

The dark one showed no reaction toward the new information, as he switched the CPB to charge.

"Ah, so that's how it's going to be? Fine! all units attack!" The Red horn charged at the G-Breaker, followed by five Saber fangs.

Raven smirked at their puny forces, As he released the hyper powered beam.

* * *

Ryss woke up to a warm fire, inside a cave; as her blue zoid nudged her. "Raaah... Master talk to me..." 

Ryss smiled and placed a hand to her loyal organoid. "Hey Specula..." Specula coo'd, with relief, as her mistress held her bandaged head. "Ahh...wha...what happened?" The dark warrior sat a few feet away, resting one arm on his knee. "We were attacked."

Ryss closed her eyes, trying to relieve the pressure. "Wha...by who?"

Raven with his normal cold tone replied, "Dunno, guess we never will,"

The zoidian then opened her eyes in shock. "Raven...you didn't!"

He just glared at her. "Well what did you expect me to do? I gave them what they deserved."

She glared back as her eyes started to form tears. "So then what do you deserve? don't you think you've killed enough?"

He turned from her eyes, not wanting to see her cry. "I deserve nothing, I deserve to have to live with the guilt, of choosing, who lives and who dies."

"Raven...you don't-" Ryss started but before Finishing, she stood, and walked outside. It seemes Raven had found an oasis, she was surrounded by trees, but to left the Geno Breaker stood and there was a split in the trees, showing where the large zoid had come through.

Specula soon followed her mistress, but not before growling at the dark warrior, as to say, "Way to go genius."

Raven, now even more irritated at the organoid's comment, threw a small rock into the fire. "What do you want me to do Ryss?"

* * *

Ryss sat and was resting her head against a tree, as she watched the sunset. "Ah Specula...what am I gonna do with him?" 

Specula roared a, "Well I can take care of that for you! just give me the word!"

Ryss smiled at the blue dragon's offer, and put her hand on the organoid's head.

"What do you mean, 'What am I gonna do with him?' If you remember right, I'm the one with the zoid, Ryss." Raven stood behind the blue pair, with his arms across his chest.

Both looked back startled. "Raven? how long have you been there?"

"Well, how long have you been talking about me?" Raven questioned back and began walking toward Ryss; But a protective Specula not having it, lowered her head and growled at him.

"It's ok Specula." Ryss called her zoid off and Specula stood erect, then steped back. "Don't mind her, she's just mad at you for letting them hurt me." She smiled warmly at her overly protective zoid.

"Yeah well it's not like I let them attack us." Raven now clear of an organoid attack, sat down next Ryss, wrapping a protective arm around her waist.

She laid her throbbing head on Raven's chest and closed her eyes. "So then what happened to your superior fighting skill's? surely the 'Mighty Raven' can avoid killing, in a battle."

"Everyone has an off day." The dark one stated flatly and stroked her hair with one hand.

Specula soon found everything savvy, and laid down to get some much needed sleep. Having to watching over her master all night was hard work!

Raven looked off at the scenery, as he began to speak, "Ryss...I don't think I've ever told anyone this before...at least as far back as I can remember-"

Ryss smiled up at him, "I love you too, Joyce Chen." She said cutting him off.

Raven, a little irritated from being cut off, but mostly stunned from hearing his long forgotten name, "I haven't heard that name in a long time...in fact I don't think I even like it." He admitted and Ryss saw her chance to taunt him.

"Well that's just to bad isn't it, Joyce."

Raven gazed down at her with slightly annoyed eyes. "Great, I guess your going to call me that just to annoy me now."

She grinned evily "You bet."

Raven closed in and kissed the unsuspecting zoidian. _"Why does he always do it, when I least expect it?"_ Ryss thought a bit agitated, but after a few seconds returned the gesture.

Meanwhile Shadow walked up next to the sleeping Specula, and nudged her. "Hey...what's up with them anyway?"

Specula raised her head, still half asleep. "Who knows, just leave me alone."

Shadow just shrugged and curled up next to her.

* * *

Authors Note: Ok, well I hope you liked the fluff...Anyway...the next chapter is going to skip five year's...please don't hurt me. (ducks) 


	4. Five years later

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I own nothing in this story.**

Authors note: Ok well here is Ch4 it's five years later (gasp) yup I hope you like it, I think it's cute. (grins)

_Italic's is thinking._

**Chapter Four**

**Five years later**

Raven sat on the edge of a cliff staring at the sunset, he sighed in deep thought before hearing someone approach from behind.

"Daddy!" A little boy with pale blue hair shouted and jumped on Raven's back, wraping his arms around the former maverick's neck.

"Hey kiddo, What are you tearing up to now?"

"I'm Playing Sabor fang and and Gweno Bweaker with Shadow, And Mommy says dinners ready." Raven smirked at the boy's answer, as metal footsteps approached. "So which one are you?"

"I'm a Sabor fang, garrah!" The boy answered, pretending to claw something. "Oh yeah? so who's winning?" Raven then grabed the little one with his right arm and pulled him down to his lap. "Haha! well I am...but I think Shadow is going easy on me."

Shadow Roared a protest. "Was not!"

"Hey daddy can I ride Shadow back to mommy? Please?"

"Hm hm." Raven smiled at the small boy, as Shadow purred in agreement. The zoid pilot picked him up and set him on the organoid. "Punch it Shadow."

"Rrooaarr!" Shadow took off flying, as his master followed behind on foot.

Shadow made it back to camp within twenty seconds of spinning and diving. "Vega! Shadow! Get down here right now!" Ryss screamed.

Shadow growled. "Mothers are sooo boring." But he obeyed and landed in camp.

Ryss grabbed Vega, holding him up by his arms. "Vega! Where did you get the idea, you could ride Shadow like that?"

Shadow covered his eyes, the best he could. _"This is gonna get ugly."_

"I did." Raven stated, walking out of from the greenery.

Ryss embraced Vega in a tight hug. "Why! Are you trying to kill my baby!"

"Mommy? Why are you crying?"

"You know as well as I do, that Shadow wouldn't let anything happen to him." Raven responded coldly.

Shadow raised his head. _"Yeah! Yeah! I Think my master is winning this one!"_

Specula rolled her eyes (can an organoid do that?) and thought, _"Raven did it again" _While running to her master's side, she coo'd, saying. "Do you want me to kill him for you?"

Ryss scowled at the dark pilot. "Maybe!"

"Mommy can you put me down? your scaring me."

Ryss looked at him with teary eyes and hugged him tighter.

"Ryss put the poor boy down, your freakin him out." Raven said and walked over to the fire for dinner.

She glared at him, and Specula growled as Raven moved to the fire. _"I still don't like him."_ As Shadow tilted his head in confusion at everyone.

After a few seconds of silence, Ryss finally came to her senses and set Vega down. "Mommy are you okay?"

Ryss just nodded a yes, then went to sit by the heartless warrior.

With that, Shadow saw an opening and took it, shooting towards Vega, but got intercepted by Specula. "Hey!" Shadow growled.

Specula pushed him aside. "My turn."

Vega hugged Specula's long nose. "Spwecuwa!" (Trying to say Specula)

After the three played for a few minutes, Ryss called Specula to bring Vega, for dinner. "Darnit! I just can't win!" Shadow Roared.

* * *

Authors Note: So did you think was cute? I love Vega! he's like a miniture happy Raven...And yeah I know Van's series is like a hundred years before the Bit series, but don't you think Vega look's a little _too_ much like Raven to be a distant relitive? I swear he's a clone! anyway please review, and come on you got to admit that was cute...or something...really you can just say 'whatever' or 'Okaaaaaay' I just want to know if you read it or not. 


	5. The bond

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

_Italic's is thinking._

**Chapter Five**

The next day Vega woke up crying from a nightmare. Ryss was at his side within a second, followed by Shadow. "Vega? Vega what's wrong honey?" Ryss hugged him tight. "I saw daddy-getting blown up!"

Shadow nudged him with his snout and made a soft noise. "Please stop crying buddy."

Vega sniffed and nodded. "Okay,"

Meanwhile Raven was away in a village close by, getting supplies, when he spoted Zeke atop a building. _"Zeke-Fiona-Van-Blade Liger" _He thought. _"Yes! I can finally have a worth while fight! But wait...Ryss probably already want's to kill me, I've been away to long and Vega's pry driving her crazy as it is."_

Raven sighed and shook his head. _"Ah well, maybe next time."_

Back at camp...

Ryss was still holding the sniffling boy, as both organoids were standing at the door of the tent. "Specula can you go get his juice?"

Specula hissed a, "Yeah sure."

"Mommy where's daddy?" Vega wanted to know.

"Oh God here come's the water work's." Ryss rolled her eyes and thought before answering. "He went to the store, but he'll be back soon..."

"Wha-at-but-I-sniff-dwaahhh-"

And just as he was about to take a deep breath to start balling again, Specula stuck the bottle in the little boy's mouth.

_"Now that was just mean." _Shadow thought and narrowed his eyes at the other zoid.

Vega, still very unhappy but sustained with his bottle, laid his head on the organoid's back, with dazed watery eyes.

Shadow tried to cheer him up, by nudging his left leg with his snout, as Ryss started to pack up camp. "Shadow! no flying! got it?"

Shadow grumbled, and lowered his head.

After riding around on Shadow for a few minutes. Vega saw his dad's big red zoid comming back, and with that, he screamed, "Daddy!" At the same time falling off the black zoid, but Shadow caught him with his teeth in mid air, making the dragon sweat drop. Vega then started running in the air after his father.

Ryss just about had a heart attack. After hearing him scream was one thing, but seeing him fall just takes the cake! "Sigh, I need to take up drinking, or something..." She mumbled to herself as she continued with what she was doing.

"Daddy!" Vega was still trying to run as Shadow carried him by his shirt.

When Shadow met Raven half way back to camp, Vega was still trying to run in mid air. The dark zoid put him down so he could go to his long awaited father.

Raven jumped out of his zoid, with his hands on his sides. "Hey runt."

Vega practicaly jumped into the warrior's arms "Daddy!"

Raven pulled him away, and scornfully looked at the boy. "Vega! I thought I told you not to cry when I left!"

Vega rubbed is tear filled eyes. "Sorry daddy."

* * *

AN: I know I make Shadow OOC, but I like him that way for some reason, and yes I realize Ryss is waaaaay over protective, but it just sorta happend as I was writing, I'm not sure how...but it did, I think I got Raven in character pretty well now, it's really hard to keep him that way though... 


	6. Auto Pilot? who needs auto pilot?

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

Authors note: Ok here is ch6 take note I re-wrote this from it's original form, because I gotta tell ya, the first version sucked! Oh and there will be Zeke bashing in this chapta so just thought I should warn everyone. yeah um anyway on to the reviewers.

**nightfighter642:** I'll make a deal with you, if you update one of yer storys I'll update mine. :D heheh sound good? Also don't let anyone get you down, you need to write more so you can get better. Thats what I did and I'm getting better all the time.:)

**Autumn: **I never thought about how Jamie looks like Moonbay and Irvine...I always kinda thought Brad or Jack were decsendents of Moonbay and Irvine...and now that I think about it...Bit does look alot like Thomas, but again I always thought Van and Bit looked identical other than the're hair color... oh oh! and yes I have read all the manga! I wish they made more..:(

**Blazing Phoenix L: **Thanks for your review :) glad you liked it.

**Mingzay88: **I got the Joyce Chen from the manga vol.14, that's what Autumn was talking about. :P

**saviorclaw: **Thanks for your review I will try harder with my new chapters.

AN: Thankies to everyone who reviewed, kay here is chapter six enjoy.

**Chapter Six**

After the little scolding, Raven and Vega got back in the Geno Breaker. "I'm right here kiddo." Raven reassured the boy and let him take the controls; after setting the zoid on auto-pilot.

"Woah! I'm almost as good as you huh dad?" Vega looked up to him with anticipating eyes.

Raven smirked at the boy on his lap. "Whatever you say kid." He ruffled Vega's hair.

"Oh no! how do I get it stop?" Said a panicked Vega.

Raven pushed a button; over riding the auto-pilot. "Just pull the stick back." The dark one answered calmly.

Vega did so, as the G-B stopped right next to their tent.

Raven smiled and opened the cockpit. "Oh wow! I did it! I stopped the Gwenwa Beaker!" Vega said excitedly, as he nearly jumped out of the cockpit, with Raven's right arm being the only thing keeping him from the hard ground. "Oops." the boy stated, waiting for his punishment.

"Vega!" Ryss screamed, as Raven descended with one arm around the teal haired boy, and the other griping the retracting wire.

Raven dropped Vega into his mother's arms. "Take it easy on him Ryss, he was just excited."

"Oooh sorry mom, can I go play with Shadow now?" Vega asked; trying to get out of his impending lecture.

The zoidian mother simply sighed and set him down, thinking a lecture probably wouldn't get her anywhere.

"Shadow, what's wrong?" Asked Raven, as Shadow growled low and stared off into the desert. "That's weird, what's wrong with him?"

"Don't ask me, he's your zoid." Said Ryss, as she packed up the remaining items from the tent.

"Hm..." Raven stared at his partner for a second, but then returned to the cockpit, so as to adjust the seat.

Shadow's tail twitched as he started his way toward the unknown entity he was feeling, unbeknownst to him though, Vega was close behind following the black zoid.

"Raven!" Screeched Ryss, making Raven slam his head in the cockpit. "Damn it! What?" The warrior questioned, while rubbing his head.

"Tell Shadow to get back here, Vega is following him!"

Raven growled and jumped from his cockpit, proceeding toward his son and organoid. "Shadow stop!" He commanded.

Shadow did so and when he did, Vega latched himself to the organoid's tail. Shadow roared at Vega, partly surprised that he was there and he didn't know it, but mostly because he feared for the boy's safety.

Vega immediately dropped from his hug on the zoid, tears welling up in his eyes. Shadow had _never_ roared at him before! So Vega didn't very well know how to react to this.

After seeing that, Raven knew it was serious, he sped up to a flat run over to the now crying child.

Vega grabbed hold of the maverick's leg and pointed at the dark zoid accusingly. "Sh-Shadow yelled at me!"

Raven nodded to his zoid partner, telling him to continue investigating. "Com'on runt, Shadow has something important to do, you need to leave him alone." Raven said as he scooped Vega into his arms and started his way back to camp.

"B-but-" Vega began to protest but was silent after getting a scowl from his father.

Shadow narrowed his lenses, as he did so, he caught sight of something shining in the distance; He continued forward.

"The packing is done, did you get all the supplies we needed?" Ryss wanted to know as she took Vega from the Raven's grip. "Yeah Ryss, I did, we can leave as soon as I adjust the seat." He said and made his way back into the cockpit.

Shadow's head rose, he knew whatever it was he sensed was getting closer. The silver image was beginning to take form and Shadow picked up speed, ready to blast off, but the image started closing in way too fast for his liking.

Shadow misjudged and before he knew it, the unknown zoid had past right by him and heading strait for _his_ master's camp. Within a second, Shadow opened his wings and gave chase.

"Raven!" Ryss cried.

"Dammit not again!" Raven swore and rubbed his aching head again. "Can't you keep track of that child for one second?" He yelled and jumped from the cockpit; not yet realizing the seriousness of the situation.

Ryss pointed at the problem with one hand and held tight to Vega with the other. "What the?" Raven stood beside his mate and examined the intruder. "Isn't that Van's sorry excuse for an organoid?"

"I think so...but there's something wrong." Ryss observed, still holding tight to her son.

Zeke growled and approached them slowly. He was still a good ten feet away, when Ryss blinked and Specula obeyed instantly as she tackled him viciously. That psychic link comes in real handy!

"Yeah!" Vega cheered. "You get em Specula!"

Specula stood and hissed at the silver one, as Shadow landed near her.

Zeke roared and stood with great speed, ramming into both organoids.

Shadow returned it with a tail lash and sent the offender flying. Not letting up, the dark zoid released his wings, followed and slammed Zeke into the ground.

Raven did nothing but cross his arms and smirk at this onslaught. _"Well hey if I can't fight Van then this will have to do."_ Vega clapped his hands and shouted praises to his father's zoid. Like father like son, they both enjoy watching Zeke get the snot beat out of him.

Shadow was about to begin thrashing his victim once more, when Zeke suddenly started to get his bearings and charged back in retaliation.

They both hit hard and fell. After seeing that, Specula made her way to the fallen zoids; both trying desperately to get up.

"This is over! now leave!"Shadow roared at him and stood first.

The blue zoid stood near the black one, as Zeke staggered to a standing position.

Both organoids growled low, as Zeke opened his boosters and retreated from the warrior's camp.

"Yay! Shadow won!" Vega yelled and tried escaping from Ryss' firm hold on him. She hesitated but eventually let him down to congratulate the winning organoid.

Vega ran strait to Shadow's side and hugged him, completely forgetting that the black zoid roared at him a few minutes ago. "Shadow you won!"

Shadow looked down at the Raven clone and picked him up with his snout, Vega slid down the zoid's neck and sat contently on his back.

"What was that all about?" Ryss wondered.

"I don't know, but that zoid won't be coming back, not after a beating like that." Raven said.

"But I don't understand why he attacked in the first place..."

Shadow yawned and opened his wings. "Veg-" Ryss began but Raven put a hand to her shoulder to stop her. She looked at him as he shook his head.

Ryss looked back, as Shadow grabbed Vega by his shirt and flew to the top of the Geno Breaker. Curling up around him, Shadow nuzzled the boy, telling him it was time for a nap.

Raven shrugged. "I guess we arn't leaving for awhile." He turned around and began making a fire.

* * *

AN: So has anyone noticed that I am like the only one that wrote a story about Raven and Ryss having a kid?...well ok I have read one other one, I believe its called 'Lost love' I put it in my favs. And then Ravenwolf was getting to that, but she isn't updating her story...:( 


	7. The same old rival

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

AN: Well everyone reading this, should be happy to know that I spent a whole weekend on future chapters for this story. (grins evilly) and boy do I have a bunch of ideas for it. So I imagine you can expect this story going to at least 18 chappys, maybe more and I think I might even make a sequel, depending on how many people want me to, but I don't want to spoil anything, so on to the reviewers.

**chowder: **Yeah tell me about it :( I've found quite a few but I don't know of any where they actually update often...:looks around paranoid: I'm not one to be talking, but hey its not my fault...stupid writers block:mumbles:

**nightfighter642: **:D Your a big Raven and Ryss fan I take it, you have like all the storys about them in your favorites. lol that's hardcore...does anyone even use that word anymore? er whatever huh I'm gonna shut up now and let you read the chapter...

_Itilic's is thinking_

**Chapter Seven**

A few hours passed before Raven finally decided to get moving, "Shadow!" he shouted to his organoid. "It's time to leave."

Shadow moaned at the sound of 'time to leave'. He yawned and then lifted Vega with his dragon like head, lowering him to Ryss as he landed gently.

After a few moments they were well on their way, Raven sat in the pilot seat, with Ryss napping behind him as Vega played on the floor next to her.

Vega moved to the front of the cockpit. "Hey daddy?" He spoke timidly.

Raven looked to the boy on his right. "Yeah?"

"Do you think I'll ever have a zoid of my own?"

The pilot smirked at the question before engaging the auto pilot. "Well of course you will kid, what kind of zoid do you want?"

Vega thought hard about this for a minute. He spread his arms out and jumped with expression. "I want a Saber fang! a red one!" He added.

Raven chuckled at the sound of his son's request as he ruffled the boy's dark teal colored hair. "I'll see what I can do kiddo."

The sudden high pitch sound of the radar sent the warrior's adrenaline into overdrive as his zoid shook radically. Vega yelped as he was sent flying back into one of the control panels. "What the hell?" Raven uttered enraged, as he struggled with the controls to steady his zoid.

Once the attack ceased and the zoid stopped shaking, Ryss immediately began looking for Vega "No!" She screamed with despair, as she picked the boy off the floor and held his bleeding head.

Raven, after hearing her ear numbing shrill, instantly turned to see the problem. "Dammit! whoever did that is going to have a meeting with their maker today!" He sat forward and opened a link to any and all zoids in the area; making sure everyone heard it.

"Did you like that Raven? cause there's a lot more!" Van shouted, as he came up on the screen. The Blade Liger crouched with the booster cannons aimed, ready to fire.

The dark pilot's hair, now shaded his eyes, as he gripped the controls firmly. _"No I can't fight, not with them in the cockpit with me, I have to get them out of this situation!"_ "Shadow! Specula! get them out of here now!" Raven ordered.

Both organoids obeyed, Specula merging with a reluctant Ryss to let go, and Shadow took an unconscious Vega into his dark metal plates.

"Van get ready! Your mine!" Raven roared and slammed on the controls, as the Geno Breaker foot locked.

"I've been ready! And you can bet you'll pay for what you did to Zeke!" Van shouted back and charged forward.

"It was his own ignorance that led him to that condition dammit! I can't say his pilot will come out any better!" Raven swore and shot his powerful beam.

Van easily dodged it and countered with a blade attack, which met with success on the G.B's left foot lock and armor.

Raven took no pleasure in this battle, he was fighting purely out of rage. He shouted a battle cry and shot the left claw, catching the liger's right blade. "No!" Van cursed, as Raven reeled in and snapped the blade. Not letting up, he shot the other claw, clenching deep into the middle body of the liger.

Van clicked the shield on to full power, as he broke free from the Geno Breaker's hold.

The two zoids stood, sizing each other up. "I still have my left blade! we can still win Blade Liger!"

Shadow and Specula stood near Ryss and Vega at a safe distance. Ryss tried to stop the bleeding that flowed from Vega's head, but to no use, he wasn't going to last much longer without medical attention. "Raven! we have to get him to a doctor now!" She pleaded toward the battle.

"What?" Raven's attention switched from Van to Ryss. He scowled and opened a link. "Van, you better hope and pray that my boy lives, otherwise, your going to wish you already had a grave, because I _will _make you suffer!" The maverick declared and closed the link as he made the Geno Breaker about-face toward the zoidian.

"What? what do you mean? we're not done here!"

Raven stopped abruptly and turned slightly. "If you attack me now, I assure you. You _will _not see the light of day, nor the darkness of night, again." He said dangerously calm.

Van narrowed his eyes, but gulped none the less. He wasn't entirely sure if he dared to challenge Raven's word.

Raven started forward again when Ryss cried out another warning about Vega's condition.

Van just stood there; contemplating about what action he should take next, Raven's warning didn't sound all to friendly in the least.

"Get in!" Raven didn't have to say it twice, as Ryss grabbed the retracting wire and was pulled into the cockpit.

The red zoid took off with immense speed, regardless of the damage in its left foot.

"Wait," Van pondered Raven's words as the Geno Breaker retreated. "What boy?" The great hero was left there by himself; confused as ever.

"Raven," the blue haired woman's voice cracked with fear. "I don't think he's going to make it,"

Raven growled, his hands gripped the control sticks so hard that they began to ache. _"This could be risky, but I don't see any other option open to us."_ He looked at Ryss. "We're about to go a whole lot faster, get on my lap." She stared at him with disbelief. "Now Ryss!" He barked urgently.

Ryss did as told as Raven pushed a few buttons and pulled the sticks back half way, the seat then reclined a bit. "Whatever happens, don't let go," she nodded and held Vega firmly. "Shadow!" Raven summoned. Shadow heard and gladly fused with the red zoid, causing it to jolt with speed. Raven looked down and wrapped his arms around Ryss and Vega. "Now call Specula," the woman's eyes shot with concern, but did so and closed her eyes to concentrate.

Specula raised her head, struggling to keep up with the Geno Breaker's speed. Understanding her new orders, the blue organoid flew down behind the red zoid, using the slip stream she shot up and then down, merging with both Shadow and the Geno Breaker.

At first nothing happened, but after a few seconds, a blinding flash of light covered the whole area, even Van was blinded by the ray of light. Shortly after, however, there was an enormous boom.

The speed they had accomplished nearly held Raven unconscious as did Ryss. After thirty seconds at this speed, Raven soon saw a base or town coming into view. At this speed he couldn't tell for sure, but whatever it was, if they didn't stop soon they would be plowing strait through it. He painfully reached for the shutdown switch. "Sh-Shadow-" He muttered weakly.

Shadow and Specula seemed to have formed into one organoid inside the Geno Breaker's zoid core; the organoid now resembled the color of a crystal, as it roared in response to Raven's order.

Raven felt his consciousness slipping away fast. "Raven!" Ryss screamed as she too wouldn't be able to take much more of the turbulence. With that Raven slammed his fist on the shut down mechanism, regardless of the pain he expected. The over heated zoid slowly came to a halt.

The crystallized organoid roared in pain, as it split back into two, and shot out of the now steaming Geno Breaker.

The dark zoid pilot strained to sit up. "I-I don't think-" he flinched. "I don't think I want to do that again."

Ryss fought to sit up as well, the only thing on her mind was getting Vega to a doctor, no matter what it took.

Both Shadow and Specula steamed red and exausted, along with the Geno Breaker, the three zoids fell. Raven somehow found the strength to keep a hold on Ryss, as they now faced downward. "I'm going to open th-" He winced at the pain in his ribs and right arm. Ryss stared at him with concern. "Raven?"

"I'm fine...when I open the cockpit, I'm going to lift you down." She nodded sadly, as the cockpit hissed open and he did so.

The zoidian stared up at him sympathetically. "Go, I'll catch up." He lied, but for once she was glad he did.

Raven smiled weakly. "I have a feeling this is going to hurt like hell," When she left, Raven detached his restraining belt and dropped from the cockpit, hitting the ground hard, he coughed what seemed to be blood, but at the moment he didn't really care about the red liquid. He simply wanted to lie there _without _motion.

* * *

AN: Wow Raven's got it goin bad for him in this chappy, so what did you think about my idea with Shadow and Specula fusing? that's only one of the many things flouting around in my head, I got plenty more that I'm going to use in later chapters, but please tell me what you think about this chapter. I appreciate it. (grins) 


	8. Time changes many things

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

AN: Wow I can't believe it! I got more reviewers! yay! I am very VERY happy now. Thanks everyone that reviewed! now on with ch10. This one will be staring most everyone else from zoids so have fun reading it, also you might find a few surprises in this chapter, just a heads up, although you might be expecting one of them...

_Itilic's is thinking_

**Chapter Eight**

Ryss sat in the waiting room for a good twenty minutes, when she finally decided to go find Raven. _"He should have been here by now," _she thought and walked to the door, but kudos for idiots, "Hold it right there Ryss! your not going anywhere." Thomas said as he blocked her way out.

Ryss cocked an eyebrow at him and looked around for his caregiver, he obviously wasn't in the right state of mind trying to confront her like that. "Look, I'm just leaving to find Raven, I think-"

"What? Raven? since when does _anyone _look for that trouble maker? No that's beside the point, your a criminal and will be treated as such, under the name of the Guardian Force I hereby-"

"Thomas! knock it off would you!" Karl rumbled and approached.

"Karl?" He quickly removed Thomas from her path as he clenched his younger brother's arm. "Ahhahh," Thomas trembled under Karl's grip.

Ryss stared at Thomas with annoyance, before continuing her way out of the building.

"What's wrong with you Thomas?" Karl questioned once Ryss was out of hearing range.

"What? I was just doing my job!"

"Huhuh, yeah and is your job to be mutilated on the spot! Do you have any idea how many different things she could have done to you right there?"

"Well huh...no not really, but-"

"But nothing, besides we have her son, she isn't going anywhere, use your head once in awhile." The older brother advised and began walking down the same hall he came from.

"Sure thing..." Thomas mumbled.

Ryss turned the corner, and out the front gate, where the Geno Breaker still laid. _"No one has moved it yet?" _She wondered but quickly turned her attention to Raven, who was laying face first on the ground. "Raven," She gasped and made her way to him.

Turning him on his back, Ryss helped him sit up. "Hey Ryss," he coughed a bit and gripped his side in pain. Ryss found her emotions betray her as her vision became blurry from all the stress.

He smiled weekly. "Don't waste your tears on me Ryss, I'll be fine. What about that boy of ours?"

The zoidian smiled back. "I don't know, nobody has told me anything yet," she looked to his wore torn body. "Can you walk?"

The dark one bowed his head into the best nod he could. "I guess we'll find out," with that said, the aqua orb' d woman helped Raven to his feet, doing her best just to support his weight.

Fiona stood at the gate, blocking their way similar to the way Thomas did, except with Fiona, there was a sorry look about her. "Van did this," she stated sorrowfully.

Ryss looked away from her fellow zoidian, she didn't want their pity, nor did Raven, but at this point he was in no position to say so.

"I'm sorry," she said sadly as a recovering Zeke came around the corner, with a blonde boy on his back, much the same age as Vega. "Who is that mommy?" He asked when Fiona turned and took him from the organoid's back. "Bit, I thought I told you to stay inside."

"He's your son?" Ryss wanted to know.

"Yes, Van and I, we got married some time after the Deathsaurer's last stand, but that's beside the point, come, you two look like you need treatment," the blonde zoidian lead the way after hushing Zeke from his disapproving growl.

Raven scoffed painfully. "He seems to match me in everything it seems," Ryss shook her head in disgust. This rivalry between them was going too far in her mind.

Moonbay and Irvine soon joined up with Fiona with new information. "Fiona, Van is on his way, he said he'll be here within the hour," said Moonbay. "Good, I have a few things to say to him," Fiona replied in a dangerous tone.

Moonbay cringed and turned her attention to the mavericks. "Irvine help them out would you?" Irvine was about to, when Ryss moved her head side to side slowly, she wouldn't have minded the help, but she knew Raven didn't want aid from anyone except her, maybe that's why they got along as well as they did, whatever the case, she knew he was her responsibility and she wasn't about ready to forsake it, not after what he did for her and Vega earlier.

When they came to the hospital's entrance, Fiona continued to lead the way until she stopped at a room, and motioned them to enter. "You can stay here as long as you like, it's the least I can do, for Van's ignorance," she looked down at her son, "you know, he never would have attacked you, had he known your son was in the cockpit,"

"Thank's for your help," was Ryss' tired reply, before setting Raven on one of the beds. When she turned to say something else, Fiona swiftly shut the door and left to retrieve a doctor. The green eyed zoidian gazed back to Raven and smiled warmly at him as he was already asleep, she slipped a finger gently past the red mark located perfectly under his right eye. "Raven, how did we ever get into this mess? I feel so helpless now." Ryss spoke in a quiet tone so as not to disturb him.

After sending someone to tend to Raven's wounds, Fiona made her way to the hanger. Moonbay was there setting up a Pteras for her. "Hey Fiona, are you sure about this?"

"Yes I'm sure Moonbay, I need you to watch Bit while I'm gone, I'd rather him not come with me on this trip." Moonbay nodded and took the blonde boy as Fiona loaded into the zoid. "Where are you going mommy? I wanna come." Bit pleaded. "No Bit not this time, you stay here and listen to Moonbay and Irvine understand?" Bit pouted but didn't answer.

Fiona sighed and shook her head. "I'll be back as soon as I can Moonbay,"

The transporter smiled. "Oh don't worry Fiona, he'll behave, otherwise I might have to sing him some of my 'on the road songs'."

Fiona took off laughing after Bit whimpered and whined. "Please no!"

"Oh stop, it's not that bad is it?"

Bit nodded horrified as he covered his ears. "Hey Moonbay have you seen Terra? I can't find her anywhere." Irvine asked as he examined the area high and low.

Moonbay rolled her eyes and set Bit down. "No Irvine I thought you were watching her."

"Oh oh I know!" Bit jumped up and down excitedly.

Moonbay laughed a bit then bent down to the boy's level. "So where is she champ?"

"Well um...we were playing hide and seek, and I sorta forgot..." He said timidly.

"Well that still doesn't tell us where she is." Irvine said, getting a little worried.

"Oh don't blow a gasket Irvine, we'll find her." Moonbay reassured and held Bit's hand as they walked into the next chamber of the base.

Their searching paid off, however, because once they turned a corner, Thomas was walking toward's them with a four year old brunet trailing next to him. "Mama!" She shouted happily and ran strait into Moonbay's arms. "Hey sweetheart, where were you anyway?"

"Yeah where were you Terra? I looked all over for you." Bit asked very curious.

"I found her hiding in my Dibison," Thomas answered.

"Thanks Thomas," Moonbay said gratefully, then sent a glare back to Irvine. "_Someone_ was suppose to be watching them."

"Hey, hey, can I help it if I took my eyes off her for one second?" The merc replied as a sorry defense.

"Well from what I seen, you were just watching TV, when we started playing hide and seek..." Bit said.

"Why you littl-" Irvine pretended choke the boy, but stopped when Terra hugged his leg. "Daddy will you take us for a ride in the Lightning Saix again, please?"

Irvine's lip quivered when he stared back at those beautiful blue orbs staring up at him. "Well sure my little angel." He grinned at her.

"Irvine," Moonbay protested. "What?" The merc looked from the girl's puppy dog eyes to the transporter, with much the same face as his daughter. "Aww come on Moonbay, just one run? Look at these faces."

With a sigh Moonbay waved her hand and walked away. "Do what you want."

"Yay!" The two children proclaimed and doubled back to the hanger, leaving Irvine in the dust.

"Hey you two hold up! Your gonna get me in trouble again!" He looked to Thomas for some wishful help.

Thomas just shook his head. "I don't have kids for a reason." Was his cruel reply before walking in the opposite direction. "Good luck with that by the way."

"Thanks," Irvine mumbled and followed after the two balls of energy.

Raven was soon bandaged up and left in Ryss' care for the night, he had a few broken ribs and his right arm was a little worse for ware but no serious injuries were found, he was simply exausted from the day and needed rest more than anything.

Ryss sat on the same bed with him as she stroked his hair while he slept, or so she thought, she soon found out otherwise when he placed a hand to hers. "Ryss, go to him, he needs you more than I do."

"I-I don't think I can Raven, not by myself, he's in so much pain right now-" Ryss was cut off when Raven moaned and sat up. "I'm telling you Ryss, he needs you more than anything else right now.

The ancient zoidian stared at him sadly but did as told and left the room without another word.

Not too long after Van knocked on the door and entered cautiously. "Hey huh Raven," he spoke in a friendly voice.

Raven just looked away from the other pilot. "What do you want Flyhight?"

Van frowned. "Hey what kind of gretting is that?" he teased.

"Just the kind you deserve."

The great hero sighed and leaned against the wall. "Look Raven, I didn't know about Ryss or your son, so gimme a break, you know I wouldn't have done that otherwise."

"Whatever." Raven was getting tired of this conversation _very _quickly. "You know, you really need to train your organoid better, he didn't stand a chance challenging Shadow like he did."

Van clenched his fists. "That's the cause of all this! Zeke was undergoing some freaky tests that Dr. D assured me, wasn't going to harm him, and then what happens! Zeke goes all berserk and runs off!"

"And that's when he attacked us, now it all makes sense." The dark pilot observed.

"Yeah I guess," Van stared out the window on the other side of the room. "Fiona told me, about Vega, and his condition, all because of me..."

"The past is in the past Van, lets leave it there, besides I know what two organoids can do for a zoid now,"

Van tipped his head with curiosity. "What?"

"It hurts like hell, I found out the hard way." Answered Raven.

Van laughed outright, "Oh so that's what that bright light was, I was wondering about that, and how you guys got here so fast."

Ryss soon entered the room with a very dazed Vega in her arms. "Well hey there's the little tyke!" Van greeted happily.

Vega just stared at him like he was an idiot when Ryss laid him on the other bed. "So how is he?" Van asked as Fiona began to pull him out of the room.

"Well it's not as bad as we thought, it only took a few stitches, and he should be back to normal within a week or so." Ryss answered relieved and stroked the boy's hair as he layed on the bed and examined the room curiously.

"Right well, we're leaving now, got our own son to keep tabs on you know?" Said Fiona as she basically had to push Van down the hall. "Hey wait, I wasn't finished," Van stated when Fiona shut the door.

Inside the room, Vega was slowly becoming more energetic and began asking questions. "Hey you got hurt too huh dad?"

"Yeah kid, we're just a couple of wounded soldiers." Raven said sarcastically.

* * *

AN: Wow that one was kind of long...heheh I finally made my very first original character Terra! yey for me, oh and I know Irvine is way OOC but that's the way I would picture him if he had a daughter. Just a big sucker for his little girl!...NEway review please. 


	9. Wedding? What wedding?

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

AN: Heres chapter11 and it's a long one, it covers a lot of ground, wow, no wonder it took me three weeks to write, heheh sorry it took me so long, I've been busy, but enough with the excuses on with the story, oh btw you might notice Raven being OOC in this, but that couldn't be helped. This Chapter was so much fun to write, I hope you like it.

Review responses:

**Autumn: **Yeah I know that song, it's not where I got the idea for Irvine, but it fits him and Terra perfectly. xD

**Nightfighter642: **I love your reviews, even if they are simple, it's nice to know your reading em.

**Wing elie: **Glad you liked it. Thats why I'm doing this, to make everybody happy. :)

**Chowder: **Heheh I'm happy you think it's cute, and yeah I know, there arn't enough RR's, well there are plently actually, but barely anyone has finished them.:(

_Italic's is thinking_

**Chapter Nine**

The week had passed quickly, Vega became fast friends with Bit and Terra, and he was nearly fully recovered, as was Raven. During that time, the maverick had learned to _tolerate_ his rival, _somewhat_. Whenever Van would get on his nerves Raven would just leave and find something else to occupy his time with, since Ryss and Vega both seemed quite happy with their new companions. Ryss was bonding very nicely with Fiona and Moonbay, except Fiona tended to be denser with some things, but when it came to something like that, Ryss merely pulled a Raven and excused herself from the, sometimes, annoying company.

Raven and Ryss sat on a sofa in one of the many entertainment rooms of the GF base when Van stepped in with a request, "So Raven what do you say about coming with me? You could use a good work out, I bet you've gotten pretty rusty in the past week." Van prodded and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Com'on I could use some help with this mission."

"Leave me alone Flyhight." Raven replied and changed the channel on the TV.

"Ah Come on Raven, do you want that son of yours to think your lazy?" The spiky haired pilot taunted with his usual dumb grin; knowing this would get him up.

Ryss smirked at the dark one. "Well go on Raven, you should get out and do something,"

The raven sighed and nodded. "Great, I'll be in the hanger, meet me there." Van said and took off down the hall.

Raven let out a growl slash moan as he stood and stared at his lover. "Tell me something," he leaned forward only inches from her. "Why is it, I can't say no to you anymore?" He searched her orbs trying to find the answer.

"Down boy, you do realize there are cameras everywhere." Ryss stated and pushed him back as he scoffed. "As if Ryss." He mocked and made his way to the door.

Ryss shook her head and sat up to grab the remote. "You'll have to wait until tonight for that." The dark warrior told her before finally leaving the room.

The zoidian jumped from the couch and to the doorway. "Raven I hope your zoid gets shot out there!" She shouted down the hallway.

"Whatever you say Ryss, I'll see you tonight." He replied and waved a hand without turning back to look at her.

"Is there a problem?" Fiona asked Ryss innocently, after hearing her last comment.

The agua orbed woman quickly turned to see the blonde standing behind her with a dumb smile. "Huh, no, just a small argument?" Ryss didn't really know how to explain her last comment toward Raven.

"Ah well, it happens, let me tell you, anyway come with me, I have a surprise for you and Raven." Fiona said and led the way down the hall, opposite of Raven.

"Fiona, where is Vega?" Ryss questioned when they stepped into an elevator. "Oh he's with Bit and Terra. Moonbay and Irvine are watching them. We can go get him if you want." Fiona answered with a smile.

Ryss nodded. "It seems like the only time I see him, is at night, but I suppose I'm too over protective as it is-at least, that's what Raven tells me."

Fiona looked away sadly, as they came to the floor specified. "I'm very similar in that respect, I'm far too selfish, I don't deserve to have Bit." She addmitted and continued forward when the door opened. Ryss tilted her head in confusion. "You? Selfish? What are you saying Fiona? Your the most selfless person I've ever met."

The blonde looked back with a tear ready to fall. "Believe me Ryss, you have no idea how selfish I am." In spite of what she just said, Fiona smiled. "But enough of that, I'd like to show you, your new room." She stopped at a door and handed Ryss the key. "We've all decided. You and Raven can stay here permanently if you like," the blonde zoidian smiled warmly and motioned for her to enter.

"Fiona, I-I don't know-" Ryss hesitated but opened the door as told.

"What's not to know? The arrangements have already been made. You can stay here if you want, or if you leave, this room will still be yours. Your a valuable friend now Ryss, and I fear that since your a zoidian, that a lot of people will try to get their hands on you and your organoid."

Ryss smiled and laughed a bit. "Well it's not like they haven't tried yet, but I doubt I'm in any danger with Raven around." She answered and stepped in the room.

Fiona laughed and agreed. "So, how do you like it?"

Ryss stared wide eyed at the large room, there was a king sized bed to left and a TV on the right, next to the bathroom, not to mention the huge window strait across from where she stood. "Are you sure this is for _us_?" The blue haired woman wanted to know, as she stared at the other zoidian with a sceptical look.

Fiona nodded happily. "So that's a yes I take it."

Ryss chuckled weekly. "Yes thank you very much Fiona, this means a lot to me, I-I've never really been accepted like this before. Not since Nichalo died." She said and wiped a stray tear from her eye.

"Nichalo..." Fiona murmured and thought hard for a moment, then snapped her fingers. "That's the boy, Van was talking about when he was at some ruins awhile back."

"Yeah, he died trying to protect me. No that's wrong. He died as I ran away like a coward." Ryss explained and stared at the floor, ashamed.

Fiona placed a hand on her fellow zoidian's shoulder and smiled warmly at her. "No Ryss, you shouldn't think of it that way. Had you not gotten away, the military would have used you and Specular to gain more power, infact," she paused and grinned. "You might have even met up with Raven, and you two would have both been deadly weapons for the empire, what with your organoids and all. Not that you wern't trouble for us before though."

Ryss almost felt like laughing when Fiona said that. She sure did a good job at cheering you up when you needed it. One thing Ryss liked best about her. "I guess your right Fiona, there's really no reason to dwell on the past like this."

"Right, now let's go find those sons of ours and take them to the arcade, I'm sure they'll love that." The blonde suggested and put an arm around the other zoidian's neck, leading her out of the room.

"Yes I'm sure they will." Ryss agreed and allowed herself to be led.

"Van, what are we doing here? I don't see how your mission could have anything to do with this town." Asked a certain dark warrior over a com-link.

"It's simple Raven, but you'll have to come with me if you want to find out." Van replied and jumped from his Blade liger.

"Grrr, Van I'm serious, don't play games with me." Raven ordered and lowered himself to the ground.

"Oh I wouldn't do that Raven, I'm simply guiding you in a the right direction." The hero stated with a stupid grin.

"If you don't stop talking in riddles, Van I swear I'll stuff you in the zoid's carburetor."

The spiky haired pilot waved his hands in fear. "Hey, hey, I'll stop, but I'm not gonna tell you yet," he said and led the way through the active merchant streets.

Raven growled with irritation, but took no action toward the fellow zoid pilot. He merely followed and examined the area as people seemed to have mixed reactions from the site of him. Some cowered in fear, but others just stood and pondered about what their action should be. He was, after all, accompanying Van, 'The great hero". _"Hmph, guess some of these losers actually think Van can keep me under control somehow," _he shrugged the thought off and soon caught up with Van, who was now standing and staring at a small building, with the dumbest smile plastered on his face as he looked to Raven.

"Are you going to tell me what on Zi we're doing here, or are you going to keep that stupid grin on your face all day?" Raven asked arrogantly.

"You'll see soon enough," was Van's only reply, before entering the small shop.

Raven rolled his eyes and groaned, then followed reluctantly._ "I'm gonna kill him, I swear I will kill him!"_ He fumed and made his way in, the pilot had to adjust his eyes as the room was much darker than outside. "No." He said simply when he seen what the small business had to offer. "Oh com'on Raven, you know Vega is going to start asking questions soon, and I'd like to know what your going to tell him when he asks why is parents arn't married." Van said and blocked the dark pilot's way out of the jewelry shop.

Raven was getting fed up with this little expedition, one thing you did NOT do, was block his way out. He was like a cat, you get him cornered and you best be ready to have your face rearranged. Surprisingly though, he did not retaliate when he formed a fist in his right hand. "That would be great Van, but are you fogetting, I'm out of a job and I doubt Ryss would like it if I blew up an entire town just for a couple of rings, so tell me what do _you_ suggest?" He questioned and crossed his arms.

"Simple," Van raised his hands in a shrug. "You become a member of the Guardian Force and we call it even."

"Yeah well that's out. What else you got?" Raven answered and looked away as if getting bored.

"No, no, hang on, just think about it for a second, we could give Ryss and Vega their own zoids, and you could even fight under your own team name, that way you wouldn't really have to think of it as being part of the Guardian Force, and all you'd have to do, is help us with keeping the peace." The hero pleaded and motioned the merchant to approach. "I said _no_ Van, funny don't you understand that word?"

Van frowned, now he had to use his trump card. "Com'on Raven, do you have any idea how happy this will make Ryss?" Van gulped after hearing himself say that, he did after all, say 'will' instead of 'would'. He reached out his hand and closed his eyes, knowing pain was on it's way.

The raven haired pilot scowled at this statement. "Fine." He agreed and sealed the deal with a brief but firm handshake.

"Now I wonder how Fiona is doing on her end." Van thought aloud after they left the shop with the two rings in hand.

"What are you talking about now Van?" Raven's glare never strayed from his rival. _"I swear I will kill him! Wether it's with a crowbar to the head or my fist down his throat, I will kill him!"_

Van scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, heheh, um Fiona was suppose to make the arrangements-" Before he could finish Raven had grabbed the Blade liger pilot by the collar. "Arrangements?"

Everyone was staring at them at this point, the only things moving were the mindless chickens running away from their frozen masters. "Huh, Raven, everyone is staring," Van stated, but was shook madly by his captor. "Do you think I give a shit? Mark my words Van, if you mean 'arrangements' for a wedding, I'm just going to put you out of your misery right here and now, and if you tell me your not miserable, then I will make you right this second!"

Van thought about this for a second, before answering. "Well gee Raven, I think that's what you call it when you get married."

Raven's face went pale and he was about to lose it, when a woman screamed and all chaos broke out in the streets. Van glanced at the panic stricken people. "Oh great, now look what you've done." The hero said sarcastically, as he forced his way out of the mavericks grip. "Well come on! We have to calm these people down."

"No that's your job Flyhight, somehow I don't think I would help matters." Raven said as he jerked his head in the direction of people making wide circles around him.

"Fine you go back to the zoids, I'll take care of things here."

"Whatever, I'm not through with you yet though," the dark haired man stated and made his way to the zoids.

Van shook his head, as he started talking people into calming down a bit, telling them Raven was only joking. Some believed him, but others found it hard not to laugh.

On the way back to the base, Raven fumed about being set up like this. Never in his life did he let people control him in this manner. _"I should have killed him."_ He thought regrettably.

"Hey Co-" Van popped on the screen, but Raven switched him off just as fast as he came on.

"Darnit!" Van cursed and continued to punch in numbers for a com-link. "That was the fourth time! I didn't think he'd hold a grudge this long!"

When they came to the base's hanger Raven dropped from his cockpit and steadily made his way through the base. He was in no mood to prolong this, he was on a mission to get this over with as soon as possible.

"Oh hell yeah, I gotta see this!" Van declared and raced after the maverick.

Raven's pace wasn't rushed but swift as he turned a corner, with Van in high pursuit. "Wai-uhh!" The care-free pilot slid and crashed into an innocent bystander: Thomas. "Owww, hey Van watch where your going would you!" The Beek pilot suggested and rubbed his head.

"Oh right, sorry Thomas, gotta go!" Van said and hurried off.

Thomas sighed and dusted himself off. _"How in the name of zoid Eve did Fiona ever fall for him anyway?"_ Thomas thought and continued to wherever it was he was going.

The automatic door opened and Raven stepped into, what seemed to be a small kitchen, where Ryss and Fiona leaned against the counter talking, with Bit and Vega at a table eating and talking excitedly about the games they just played.

"Raven?" Ryss said and looked at him a little confused as to why he was back so soon.

Raven's face softened slightly when approaching her. "Ryss," he stood before her as she faced him. "What is it Raven?" The zoidian asked in a worried voice.

"Marry me." The dark warrior said calmly as he opened a box with one of the rings.

At first she just stared at the object in his hand, as her mind was trying to catch up. Her face lit up when his words sank in. "Yes!" She shouted in more of a 'finally' kind of way, instead of an answer as she hugged him around the neck.

Fiona smiled warmly at the two of them as Van ran in panting. "Rewind! replay! aww man I missed it?"

"Missed what dad?" Bit wanted to know, as both him and Vega now stood in the middle of it all.

"When?" Ryss asked and released her hold on the warrior, as Bit's question went un-answered.

Raven moaned at her question. _"How would I know? It seems like everyone else is planning everything lately."_

"How about right now? I doubt Raven is going to get dressed up for this." It was Fiona who suggested it.

"Yeah, I bet you want to get this over with right away hah Raven?" Van added in a mocking manner.

"Van stop it! now come on we need to find Maria and the priest." Fiona commanded and grabbed Van by the arm leading him out. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot, they came to visit last week. Wait why haven't they left yet anyway I mean there isn't really any-" The door shut behind them and he was still talking when Raven turned his attention back to Ryss. "I hope your happy," he remarked as his gaze went from her down to Vega, who was tugging on his father's pants, silently pleading to be picked up.

"Of course I'm happy! Why wouldn't I be?" Was the zoidian's reply.

Raven smirked at the boy, before scooping him up as requested. "Hey runt, what do you want?"

"I beat Bit at the video games today!" Vega shouted confidently and raised his hands in the air.

Raven scoffed as he looked to the smirking woman. "I don't know what your gonna do, but this is my best man." He stated. Vega laughed happily after the maverick ruffled his hair.

The wedding was held in a large recruiting room, with everyone that knew about it, there as a witness.

Vega stood behind Raven holding one ring and Terra was parallel of him near Ryss with the other.

With the final vows said, the priest closed his bible as Raven proved his commitment public and kissed his now legal wife.

This caused the room to erupt in claps, with a few whistles and whoops from Van. Fiona tried to shush him but failed miserably, as it only made him shout louder.

Vega was very confused at this point. Oh sure his parents did that before, but not in front of so many people. He looked to Terra, who was now clapping for no apparent reason, simply doing it because everyone else was.

When Raven broke the kiss, he somehow managed to block out all the noise and just focused on her. "You owe me." He whispered playfully as he gently placed his scared hand to her cheek.

"Hey congrats Raven!" Van shouted and stepped forward with his grin of the day.

The dark pilot rolled his eyes and looked away in annoyance, which made Ryss chuckle and turn to Van and Fiona. "Van, you sure know how to get under his skin lately."

Van's grin grew. "Heh it's my job."

"Hey Van! we got food in the lunch room, lots of it!" Irvine hollered across the room, with a drink in his hand.

Van nearly fell over. "What? I didn't know that!" He then made a mad dash to the door.

Fiona giggled and followed after him. "I have to make sure he doesn't stuff himself again, com'on Bit we need to take care of your dad."

"Kay! Hey Vega! Are you coming!" Bit asked and chased after his mother.

"Can I dad?" Vega asked with pleading eyes.

A nod from the maverick sent the boy running at top speed. "Yes! Thanks dad!" He said and was gone.

After watching the boy bound out of the room, Ryss smiled and hugged Raven around the waist, laying her head on his chest. "Guess what."

"I'm not the mind reader in this family Ryss." He said in a cocky tone and returned her embrace. She scoffed. "We have a new room, and we can stay as long as we want."

Raven laughed. "I can top that," he replied arrogantly. She looked up at him. "What do mean?"

"I mean, we _will_ be living here for a long time."

"Oh? And why is that?" She tilted her head in curiosity. "I didn't just find these rings you know. Van and me, we made a deal. We're members of the Guardian Force now." He answered and turned, beginning his way out of the large room. "Oh." Was all she said as she stared at the ring on her left hand. "Are you coming? I doubt Van is going to show the main course any mercy."

"Huh? Oh yeah." The aqua orbed zoidian shook herself from her daze and hurried to Raven's side, wrapping an arm around his, which made him stare at her until she met his eyes and replied to his silent objection "Get use to it." The former maverick shook his head slightly, as they entered the loud lunch room.

"What are you, stupefied? The Saber fang is better than the Shield liger!" Vega retorted to one of Bit's comments.

"Vega!" Ryss scolded, when most everyone was staring at him.

"Mom, what does stupefied mean?" Bit wanted to know.

"Vega where did you hear that?" Ryss questioned and kneeled to his level. Vega pointed to his guilty father.

Raven laughed. "What? The boy listens when I tell him something, is there something wrong with that?"

Ryss sent him a death glare and an apology to Fiona, who just waved a hand and continued to eat.

After dinner, Vega, Bit and Terra were playing and arguing about the best zoids. "Is not!" "Is too!" "Is not!" "Is too!" This went on for awhile between the two boys until Terra intervened and sided with Vega, which he liked very much and stuck his tongue out at the blonde. Bit pouted for second but bounced back just as fast. "Hey Vega, do you think you could come sleep over at my house?" /aka: room/

The teal haired boy looked down and thought for a second. "Um, I dunno, let me ask." With that, he jumped from his position on the floor, and went strait to the table with the 'grown-ups'. "Mama?" He said timidly when he stepped up to the table. "What is it sweetie?" Ryss replied and held the back of his head gently. "Can I huh-could I sleep over with Bit tonight?" He asked with hopeful eyes.

Ryss looked to Van and Fiona, who both shrugged a: "Why not?" She turned back and nodded. "Sure."

"Yeah!" Vega jumped happily and made his way back.

Fiona squealed. "Oh my gosh, he is so cute when he does that!"

"Nuh-uh ain't nobody cuter than my little girl." Irvine protested.

"Well gee, I just love where this conversation is headed, but I think I'm done here. Come on Ryss, I wanna know where that new room is." Raven stood and motioned her to follow. "Yes your highness." The woman muttered under her breath, but did as told. "Take care of my little boy Fiona, bring him back if he's to much to handle."

The blonde nodded with a smile. "Oh I think he'll behave,"

"Yeah but if not I guess we'll just have to interrupt your honeymoon eh?" Van said with an evil grin.

"Van!" Fiona elbowed him in the ribs, getting an "Oww!" from him.

Raven knew if he turned around, he'd have to kill his rival on the spot. "You know Van, I will be the reason you die one day." He said before exiting the room.

"Well it'd be better than dying of old age!" Van retorted and stood.

"Oh yeah that was such a great come back Van," Irvine teased sarcastically, resting his elbow on the table and his chin on his hand.

Both Ryss and Fiona shook their heads with Moonbay just observing everyone. "Vega, be good honey!" Ryss called toward him before leaving to catch up with the raven.

"Raven, do you think this is all too good to be true? Our life now and how things are going for us?" The female zoidian questioned and crawled into bed.

He scoffed, removing his boots and uniform. "I don't believe in conspiracies, if that's what your asking. But I think things happen for a reason."

She nodded agreeably and closed her eyes as Raven turned off the remaining light and joined her. "What's with the sudden doubt anyway?" He asked seriously and just stared at her. The illumination from the nearby window made her hair appear a navy blue, and for a brief second her eyes shone like a cat's would, when she turned to return his gaze. "I-I just don't see how our bloody past's could be rewarded like this," her gaze wandered from him. "Not like this."

Raven's scared hand rose and lifted her chin so her eyes met his soft pale orbs. "I've been denied everything Ryss, save you and Vega. I think it all evened out in the end."

* * *

AN: Well I'm gonna let your imaginations do the work here, I feel so awkward writing those scenes...um anyway the next chapter is going to make your head hurt a bit, because I'm gonna make you think...heheh yeah I am so mean, plus the next one might even make you cry I dunno. Hope you liked the chappy. rr please. 


	10. This mission sucks!

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

AN: Ok guys If your wondering why the chapters are all messes up, it's because I went back and added some new content to the first few chapters and mashed a few of them together, because they were way too short! XD anyway enjoy.

_Itilic's is thinking_

**Chapter Ten**

Raven awoke early the next morning to a soft knocking on the door. He glanced over to the clock, that read 5:15am, then to Ryss who was still sleeping soundly, or so she seemed. "It's your turn," she mumbled, before he sat up. It almost sounded like she was talking in her sleep! _"How does she keep track anyway?"_ He thought in aggravation as he pulled on a pare of shorts and black T-shirt before opening the door to a sniffling Vega and half asleep Van. "Nightmare." The liger pilot stated with a yawn and started his way back down the hall.

"Am I in trouble daddy?" Raven stared down at the sad looking boy with an unimpressed look. "No kid, now be quiet and get in bed." Vega's face lit up, as he bounced into the room and jumped onto the bed making it shake rapidly. "Hi mama!" he tried to be quiet but his excitement got the better of him. Ryss didn't flinch or look at him when he rumbled across the bed. She simply wrapped and arm around him and held him close as if it was instinct.

The dark maverick shook his head in defeat at the site of it. He shut the door and made his way around the bed. "Goodnight dad." The boy said when Raven settled on his side of the bed. He scoffed and ran his fingers through the boy's hair. "Night runt." Vega laughed softly for no apparent reason before closing his eyes, happily resting in his mothers arms.

Later that morning, Raven, Ryss and Vega were located in a small lunch room; one that was reserved for the 'special forces' of the GF. It was stationed right next to the larger lunch room, where everyone else that worked there, ate.

Raven's eyes were closed, as he sipped his coffee and leaned against the wall, with Ryss a few feet away. She sat at a table watching the news, as Vega ate his breakfast at the small table, across from her.

"Ok I wanna know why you won't take this mission for me Irvine," Van said and walked in, Irvine beside him, as Fiona and Moonbay trailed behind with Bit and Terra. "First of all your lightning saix is 30 percent faster than my Blade liger, meaning you'll get there and back, that much faster."

"35 percent. And I said I'm not doin it Van, it's my day off besides I took one of your missions last week, so you owe _me _one." The merc replied and took a seat in a booth next to the table Ryss and Vega occupied.

Van growled and sat across from him. "Darn, I was hoping you'd forget about that." He mumbled and looked up when Fiona sat down next to him. "Oh Van, why don't you just go do it, besides I'm sure Irvine would let you borrow his Lighning saix if you ask nice." This just got a moan out of him, as he laid his head back and stared at the ceiling. He so did _not_ want to go on this mission. It was to gather information of a freak village attack located on the outskirts of the desert. Quite a ways away from their current position.

The great hero turned his head toward the dark warrior and his blue devil, and blinked in thought. "Hey you two, how about-"

"No." Was Raven's swift response as his eyes remained shut. Ryss and Moonbay merely listened and observed.

"Aww com'on Raven, you haven't received any missions yet, so call this your introduction."

"This is your job Van, so _you_ should do it." Raven spoke with acid in his voice, not wanting to discuss this further.

"Raven's right Van, you need to do it yourself." Fiona added and gave him a look. "Wha?" He sighed in defeat and stood to get food. "Fine, I'll leave after breakfast then."

Bit and Terra had seated themselves on the same bench and table with Vega while the adults argued. "Hey Vega, sorry you had to leave last night, so what was your nightmare about anyway?" Bit wanted to know.

The raven clone looked up thoughtfully, trying to remember it. "Well it was really weird. I was underwater I think, but it was really freaky water, plus I couldn't talk, I tried to, but when I did, it was like," he paused as he thought hard of how to explain it. "Like what?" Bit was getting impatient as was Terra, as they both stared at him intently. "Um well sorta like when you try to talk while there's something over your mouth I guess," he said with uncertainty and began eating again. "...and then what happened?" The blonde boy asked with anticipation.

"Huh, well ifth wathf-"

"Vega, eat your food sweetie." Ryss interrupted when he tried to talk with his mouth full.

The boy nodded and obeyed. "Well it just stopped there, I felt like I couldn't breath and that's when-" he looked away with a frown. "That's when I woke up crying."

Ryss thought silently about this, she once had a dream like that, she just couldn't place when.

"Oh, so that was it? That is a weird dream." Bit stated and smiled when Van arrived with a stack of pancakes for him. "Here ya go tyke, don't hog em, half of those are for Terra, got it?" Bit nodded excitedly and drooled. This caused Van to laugh as he went to sit with the others.

After breakfast, Van was found in the huge hanger of the GF base, mumbling, as he tightened something on the BL's hind leg. "I can't believe this, why in world would Colonel Krueger give such a petty mission anyway? I haven't had something this boring in a long time." He thought aloud to himself.

"You know Van, you talk way too much for your own good." Said Raven from behind the liger pilot.

"Raven! what, what are you doing here?" Van jumped and looked around, trying to figure out where exactly the dark one had come from.

"Your jumpy too." Raven mocked, before heading to his zoid. "I was given orders to accompany you this morning."

"What? But I don't understand, when I asked you to go instead of me, you said 'no' and that you didn't have a mission yet!" He was nearly shouting as Raven continued to walk away from him.

"No, that was you, I just didn't correct you." Raven's reply was quick but spiteful, before stepping into the Geno Breaker. "Raven! sometimes you just! gaaah!" Van growled with irritation, as he stormed into his own cockpit, while his rival smirked and enjoyed every second of it.

"Try not to fall behind." Van spat and shot out of the hanger. "You wish." Was the cocky reply, before the Geno Breaker did much the same thing. Meanwhile leaving a baffled Karl and Thomas in the hanger. "I wonder why their in such a hurry."

Thomas rolled his eyes and returned to working on his Dibison "Who cares?"

"So why are you in such a bad mood this morning Thomas?" Karl wanted to know, as he was simply keeping his brother company. "It's nothing, forget it." The weapons genius replied with a scowl on his face as he continued to work.

The Colonel smiled mischievously at his brother. "I know you a lot better than that Thomas, now go on, tell me what's bothering you."

Thomas shook his head slightly. "It's just-Do you even recall getting to vote on wether or not those two got to stay?"

"Well," Karl looked around briefly before answering. "I don't feel too comfortable with Ryss around, for obvious reasons, but I'd rather them be _here_ on friendly terms instead of not, and still causing us havoc somewhere else."

The Lieutenant nodded trying not to show his annoyance. "I guess, I still don't like it though...especially since Raven is with the empire's side of the Guardian Force. That reminds me, who gave him orders to leave this morning?"

"Well that would be me, why do you ask?" The high ranking officer asked. Ever since the war ended, Karl ended up being promoted to the head of the empire's GF unit. He very rarely got a chance to just stay and talk with his brother, having such a high position.

"Hm, no reason, it's just, I'm curious about why he was reinstated to Lieutenant so fast."

Karl raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Why do you care Thomas? After all he is one of the best zoid pilots on the planet, I mean if he wanted, he could prove himself a Captain or better."

"Grrr I hate this!" His voice eco' d through the hanger followed by the sound of his fist slamming into the Dibison's leg, getting a very quick and loud beep from the AI system above.

"Thomas what is it? Why are you so touchy lately?" Karl inquired and waved his hand, silently ordering everyone back to work."

"I just-I get tired of it. When someone like Raven can be accepted this soon, and be given such a high rank, just because of his fighting abilities." Was the blonde lieutenant's answer as he just stared at the floor.

The older brother sighed and shook his head sadly, as he put a hand to his younger brother's shoulder. "Look Thomas, I know it bothers you that it took you so long to reach the rank of a lieutenant, and Raven's only been here a week, but you have to remember that he was in the empire long before you were.

"That's not all! He made a fool of me...countless times," Thomas stated and looked to his brother with an opposing stare.

"So then tell me Thomas, how is that different from Ryss being here? You do remember when she took over my entire battalion _and_ a comrade's, don't you?" Karl questioned and got a knowing nod from Thomas. "Your right Karl, I'll try harder not to let them get to me."

"Somehow, I think we're all going to have to try harder." The colonel chuckled a bit, before turning to leave. "Huh Karl," Thomas tried to warn him, but was to late. "Oh, it's you..." Karl observed the blue haired zoidian now standing before him, as his nerves betrayed his calm speech.

"Raven said, I was suppose to get my own zoid and missions. I was just curious about what zoid I'm piloting." She said and examined the area.

Karl tightened his fists and tried to rid himself of his fears. "Well it's your choice really. I imagine you want a Geno Saurer,"

Ryss cocked an eyebrow, a little confused. "How can you just offer me a Geno Saurer?"

"Well, Dr. D found one a few months ago in some ruins, but it's in pretty bad shape, so your organoid will have to repair it, if you want to use it." Karl said and motioned Thomas to approach. "Thomas, show her to the zoid, I have some paper work to do."

"Yes Colonel." Karl nodded to him when Thomas saluted, then briefly to Ryss before taking his leave.

Ryss watched him go with a bit of bewilderment in her features. "Don't tell me, I'm going to have to do that?" she asked to nobody imparticular. "Huh, well yeah, you will," Thomas answered with a rather displeased look on his face. "It's standard military procedure." He added and led the way through the big hanger and into a smaller one.

"Yeah, well I don't know the first thing about it," she replied and followed.

Thomas looked back slightly. "I'm sure Raven can teach you, he was in the empire for a long time from what I understand." He came to a halt, in front of the recked zoid. "Well here it is, hope it works for you." The lieutenant said and left the zoidian to her new vessel.

Ryss watched him leave for a few seconds, then turned her head back to the lame zoid and closed her eyes. A few more seconds passed and Specular landed obediently near her master with a purr as her welcome. The ancient zoidian smiled and placed her hands on the organoid's snout. "Think you can revive this one, girl?" This got another purr and a gentle nudge to the chest from her partner. The woman laughed a bit at the answer then ordered, "go on then." With that, the blue zoid roared and took off and into the downed zoid, encircling it in a blue cocoon, similar to the one Raven's Geno Breaker evolved from.

Ryss stood and stared at it for a moment before exiting the small hanger.

"Ok thanks for your help, call us if they attack again." Van said and waved before jumping into the Blade liger.

"Well that was productive." Raven remarked through the communicator.

"Yeah I know, just some common bandits acting up. I told you it was a strange mission. I don't understand why we even came out here, I mean it's not like anyone could get here in time if they attacked again." Van replied and yawned. The sun was beginning to set and the two pilots still had to travel all the way back.

"That just means someone is going to have to be posted here until they attack again." Raven stated as they started the long ride back to the base.

Van moaned after hearing that. "Your right," he sighed. "I could use a vacation."

Raven didn't reply, as he reclined the seat and let Shadow take over. "Shadow, wake me when we get there." The zoid confirmed with a growl, as his pilot fell asleep.

When they finally returned to the base, both pilots dropped from their respective zoids. Van walked beside Raven as they made their way to the lunch room. "Man I'm starved!" Van whined as he held his stomach.

Raven merely shook his head at the comment, which caused Van to glare at his rival. "What? Your human, arn't you hungry after all that?" Raven didn't get a chance to answer when Bit and Vega came running up to the two returning zoid pilots.

"Hey son, have you been into everything and causing problems for everyone?" Van asked and knelt to the blonde's level. "You know it!" Bit answered with a grin and a thumbs up. "Good, my mission in life is done then." Van said with a similar grin.

Raven slowed but didn't stop when Vega caught up with him. "Hey dad, did you know mom has a new zoid? It's like yours but it's blue!" The boy said with enthusiasm. "She did huh? Well where she is she kid?" The dark warrior questioned.

Vega thought for a second as he was struggling to keep up with his fathers pace. "Um, she told me to tell you to meet her in the place we were at this morning." He answered ignorantly. Such is the answer you'd get from a child.

Raven chuckled slightly. "You mean the lunch room kiddo?"

"Yeah that's it!" The boy said excitedly.

The former maverick smiled down at his son, as Vega was still trying desperately to keep up without running. "Your a good boy Vega." Raven said and slowed his pace as he placed a hand on the boy's dark hair. He smiled back and raised his hands, pleading to be carried. Raven shook his head defeated, before bending down and doing so with one arm.

In the lunch room Irvine and the three women were waiting to eat dinner at a large table, when Raven entered the room with Vega riding on his right shoulder. "Hi mama, I found him." Vega proclaimed proudly. "I see that," she said looking back with a smile.

Raven set him down and approached the table when Bit charged in with a trailing Van soon after. "Ha! I win dad!" The blonde shouted and sat down next to his mother.

Van was panting at this point, as he rested his hands on his knee's. "Need...food," he managed between breaths.

Raven shook his head in disgust, before sitting next to Ryss at the table. "Heard you got your zoid back."

"Yeah, I just hope I can remember how to pilot it. It's been so long." Ryss replied and stood to go get the food. "Oh by the way, you have to teach me how to salute." She added before walking away.

Raven stared across the room confused but not caring, as he wasn't even going to try and figure out the _why_'s at the moment.

After dinner Van and Fiona pulled Raven and Ryss to the side of the room. "What do you want Flyhight?" Raven asked impatiently. All he wanted right now was to get away from these people!

"Just calm down Raven, this is important." Van said before explaining. "Ok I'm just going to come right out and say it," he looked to Fiona and she nodded sadly, as Van sighed and began. "We found out a few months ago, that there is something wrong with Bit, we're not sure what it is, but Dr. D seems to think it has something to do with him being part zoidian."

"So what are you getting at Van?" Questioned Raven with his arms crossed.

"Well, I'm saying I think you should get Vega checked as well, seeing that he's half zoidian-"

"What is it exactly?" Ryss interrupted, her voice was starting to sound worried.

"We don't know, you should talk to Dr. D tomorrow and ask him." Fiona answered and stared hopelessly at the ground.

Van nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Thanks for telling us." Ryss said in an almost depressed state before turning to leave.

"Ryss..." Raven sighed and started after her.

* * *

AN: Hey guys, this is gonna start going downhill, what I mean is, it'll be a tear jerker pretty soon so be ready.  



	11. The cold truth

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story. Except Terra, I own her, but that's it.**

AN: Hi again! Well I ended up having to put this one up early, so I hope yer happy! because I very rarely put two chapters up in one week. xD

**Chapter Eleven**

"I'm sorry but this is the only solution I can think of." Said Dr. D. 

Ryss looked from the doctor to Raven, her eyes were full of panic. "Wait, are you saying there's something wrong with him?"

With a sigh Dr. D began to explain, "Vega has a delicate DNA that allows him to have quick reflexes, but-" He paused and looked at the boy through the sound proof glass. "What I'm trying to say is, he's not going to live past ten." His words pierced both mavericks sudden and hard.

"What? but why?" Ryss asked, her voice was weak and frightened.

Raven turned his attention to Vega, who was sitting quietly in the examination chair. "Ryss, let him continue."

Dr. D waited until the zoidian nodded, before starting again. "Hm, yes well, I believe it's because Vega is half human and half zoidian, therefore his body has created its own strengths and...weaknesses, but this is merely a theory, however, his DNA structure tells me that he is currently hosting a disease that will ultimately kill him when it has matured."

"Wait, you believe? you don't know for sure?" Ryss interrupted.

Dr. D sighed again before answering. "No, you see, Van and Fiona's son, Bit, he has undergone the same tests," he paused. "We have received the same results." He said sadly.

"What is it exactly, that's going to kill him? what disease?" It was Raven who asked, as he continued to watch his son; The boy looked around the room and was patiently waiting for his parents.

There was a brief silence after the question. "That's just it," the scientist paused once again. "I don't know what it is, No one does."

"So how do you know it's even life threatening?" Ryss asked, still skeptical about the whole situation.

"Look, I had to go through this same conversation with Van and Fiona, I tell you what I know and if you want to take that slim chance that he will survive past the age of ten, then its your decision." The old man said, starting to get fed up with all the resilience.

Ryss nodded sadly and joined Raven to watch the child in the other room; who now thought he did something wrong and was being punished for it.

"So is that our only option?" Raven asked and placed an arm around Ryss' shoulder.

Dr. D sighed heavier and answered. "Yes, if we put him in a capsule, similar to the ones the ancient zoidians used, then I'm sure that in the future we will be able to cure his illness."

Ryss' face lit up, as she thought. "But he's not even five yet, couldn't we wait until the last minute to do it?" The blue orb'd zoidian wanted to know; now desperate for another solution.

Dr. D shrugged from exhaustion. "Like I said before, its your decision when, or even if you want to do this at all, but I have no idea when exactly this disease will strike." The old man finished and made his way to the door. "I'll let you two talk this over, I need to take another blood sample from him." With that, the old scientist left the room.

"What do we do Raven? I don't want to give him up this soon!" Ryss whispered; her mind was almost in a daze as she stared at nothing imparticular.

Raven turned her to face him as he held her shoulders firmly. "Look Ryss, I don't want to lose him anymore than you," he paused, as he locked eyes with her. "but we can't be selfish about this, we can't keep him, and just wait for him to-To die."

A moment passed as his words sank in. "But he needs me, what if, when he wakes up, god knows when! And we're not there to take care of him?" Ryss argued, her eyes welled up with tears as she turned to see Vega squirm at the site of a needle.

Raven forced her head back to look at him with a gentle hand. "Ryss, for once in _his_ life, let it be." He spoke softly, and placed a kiss on her lips.

In the other room, Vega cried out as Dr. D began extracting blood with the needle. "Where's my mama?" He pleaded and sniffed.

"You can see her once I'm done." Dr.D said.

"What about my daddy?" He asked and flinched as the doc removed the pointy object.

The scientist chuckled and answered. "Yes, him too." Just as he said that, the two walked in and Ryss kneeled down spreading her arms; knowing full well what the child's action would be.

Sure enough Vega leaped happily from the chair and ran strait into Ryss' loving embrace. "How's my little zoid pilot doing?"

The dark haired boy wiped his nose and pointed to the band-aid on his arm. "They poked me, and it hurt a lot!" Vega accused and cowered under his mothers arms.

Raven smiled at the two, much to Dr. D's surprise. _"Since when did Raven smile?"_

The maverick's features soon switched to serious, however, as he looked to the zoidian specialist. "We've decided to go along with it, but we want one more night with him."

Dr. D nodded knowingly. "I will begin preparations then." He exited the room swiftly, as Ryss closed her eyes in sorrow and held the half zoidian tighter.

"Don't be sad Ryss," Raven put a hand over her arched back. "We're doing the right thing."

* * *

AN: Well damn. I think that's all I can say about this chapter...feh it could be sad for awhile, but it should get happier after a few chapters, anyway review please. Be nice to me and I'll be nice to you.:) 


	12. A mothers tears

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story. Except Terra, I own her, but that's it.**

**Chapter Twelve**

The night seemed to fly by, as the three of them spent their last night together at the Guardian Force base.

Ryss laid on the bed with Vega sitting next to her. He was playing with his Saber fang toy. "Mommy, am I in trouble?" He asked timidly.

Raven was leaning against the wall, staring out the window, as Ryss responded to the question, "Wha, no honey why would you think that?"

Vega fiddled with his toy. "Well you and daddy left me in that room and then the old guy made me bleed."

Ryss smiled warmly at him and pulled him into a hug. "No Vega, your not in trouble at all," she told him and kissed his cheek.

"Aww mom." Vega complained, but stayed in that position as he continued to play with his zoid.

Raven glanced at the two of them laying on the bed. _"This is our last night together,"_ he smiled in spite of himself. _"To think I've grown so soft as to want a family, but the thing I want most right now, is to have things the way they were."_

"Raven?" Ryss asked with concern, he seemed to be in a trance.

"Huh? what is it?"

"Nothing, it just seems like the past hour, you've been kind of, out of it." Ryss said as Vega looked up to her, then to Raven, trying his best to understand the conversation.

"I-I just," he sighed. "I'm having a hard time knowing this is our last night-" He stopped when Ryss shook her head, knowing Vega was indeed listening to every word.

Raven's eyes softened as they landed on the boy's confused face. "Hey kid, do you want to know what we're talking about?" Vega nodded and sat up.

"Raven, what are you doing?"

"Don't worry Ryss," He leaned down at the edge of the bed. "Tell me something son, how would you like to go on a ride tomorrow?"

Vega wasn't altogether sure how to answer this, all his life his father had never called him 'son' it was always 'kid' or 'kiddo', so what was with this new dialog? He shook it off though, he knew what 'son' meant, so the fact that Raven said this must have meant this ride would be really special somehow. He gasped. "Oh yeah! really daddy?"

Raven smirked at his reaction, as he thought back to when his own father said something much similar to him, he too, was excited at the thought of a vacation with his family, but sadly he never got the chance.

Ryss sat up and looked away. She knew full well what Raven was getting at.

He continued with the details, as Vega grew even more excited about the next day. "Daddy can I call Shadow in here? please?" The boy asked with pleading eyes.

Raven nodded a yes and moved around the bed. "Raven are you sure that's a good ide-" Ryss started to object before Raven wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, "Who cares," he whispered in her ear.

Vega jumped from the bed and to the window. "Shadow, com'ere boy!" He shouted, and within seconds Shadow hovered outside the room. "Shadow! your such the best zoid!" Vega clapped his hands as Shadow carefully opened the window with his snout, then made his way through.

Ryss laughed softly as Raven pushed himself above her and started kissing her intently.

Vega made a face at Shadow, wondering what was up with his parents. Shadow purred and rolled playfully, not really caring anything about his master's actions at the moment. Vega giggled as Shadow made a strange movement with his head, while laying on his back.

Ryss finally pushed the dark warrior up from his activity. "Raven lets not be getting frisky in front of Vega." She told him, trying to catch her breath.

Raven looked down at Vega, who was now on the floor and laying on his stomach as he scratched Shadow's chin. He turned back to Ryss and gazed at her mischievously.

"Raven," She warned.

Raven, however, didn't catch the warning and reached for her pant's zipper, but before he could do much more than that, Ryss kneed him in the ribs, setting him off balance and rolled him, so she was now sitting above. She laughed outright as he did the same to her and before long all they were doing was rolling around, both fighting for domination.

This caught Vega's attention very quickly, however, as he walked to the edge of the bed. "Mommy?"

They ceased immediately, Ryss sat up in a straddling position, both her and Raven breathed heavily. "Yes sweetie, what is it?"

"What are you doing?" Vega cocked an eyebrow when Raven caught Ryss off guard and switched position with her.

Ryss growled with agitation as she tried to over power the maverick. "We're just playing a-" she scowled playfully at Raven, as he did the same. "a game honey," she finished with grunt.

"Oh, what's it called?" Vega asked, now very interested.

Raven grinned at the question. "It's called 'Ten seconds', whoever stays on top for ten seconds wins." He pinned Rys's arms down and lowered his face to hers. "I win."

Ryss discontinued her struggle as Raven let her up. "We made it up before you were born," Ryss said and gave Raven a narrow look. Vega suddenly became very bored with this game and walked back to play with Shadow.

Ryss smiled as Vega hugged Shadow's head. _"He looks so happy, he doesn't deserve to be taken away so soon."_ She thought sadly as a frown showed up on her lips.

Raven noticed this and moved to his side of the bed. "Vega, com'ere kid."

With a last pat on the head, Shadow hummed as Vega obeyed and crawled into bed between his parents, both of them dreading the next day.

* * *

"I can't do this Raven, I can't leave him like this!" Ryss yelled out and fought Raven's grip. The capsule hissed and closed around the tiny half zoidian.

"No Ryss! we can't change our minds now." The dark warrior found himself somehow being overpowered by his mate and now struggled to keep a hold on her.

The capsule began to fill with green liquid and the boy tried to call out to his panic stricken mother, but alas, his mouth was covered by an oxygen mask. "Vega!" Ryss cried out and with one last surge of energy, forced Raven to release her. She reached the capsule and put her hands to the glass. She was too late, however, since he had already fallen into the hibernation sequence.

"Ryss..." Raven spoke softly and placed a hand on her shoulder. She quickly moved away from him.

"I know, we should leave," she looked at him with a hurt that even he couldn't describe, it scared him to tell the truth, and he wasn't sure he could comfort her in the least.

Ryss stared at the now green capsule, as if trying to saying goodbye to her baby. A tear flowed down her cheek as she turned and walked out of the lab. Raven watched her leave. She never looked back.

Dr. D approached Raven slowly. "I'm told there is nothing in the world like a mothers will to protect her child..."

"Nothing in the world." Raven repeated.

"You know, we will be transferring him, and that reminds me, he needs a last name, because in the future, when he is awakened, you and Ryss will more than likely be legends. That will only make his life harder than it needs to be," Dr. D explained to the maverick, "so It's best to choose a _new_ last name for him."

Raven understood and answered, "Obscura then."

Dr. D nodded and jotted the information down. "Do you want the coordinates?"

Raven shook his head. "No, it's best we don't know." Dr. D nodded again with understanding as Raven faced his son's capsule and placed a hand to it. "Make me proud son, I know, you'll be a great zoid pilot," he smiled briefly. "See you around runt." With those last words, the dark warrior parted from his son. He too, never looked back.

Outside the room Ryss let the tears flow freely into her hands. Fiona and Moonbay were beside her, trying their best to comfort the blue haired zoidian.

Van stood leaning against the wall, as Raven entered the room. "Rave-" Van started.

"Look Flyhight, I'm not all together sure about my feelings toward you at the moment," Raven cut the great hero off and paused for a second. "On one hand your the reason we found out about Vega's disease, but on the other your also the reason he's no longer with us," He scowled and clenched his fists. "I suggest you don't cross me for some time."

Van stood erect with his mouth open. Raven continued forward. "Ryss, we're leaving." She lifted her head from her hands and swallowed hard before following.

"Look Raven, Fiona and I are in the same exact boat you are, don't think your situation is any different from ours!" Van shouted.

Raven stopped, letting Ryss catch up with him. He said nothing to Van's comment and continued his way out of the base.

* * *

Raven stormed through the hanger's entrance with a heartbroken Ryss trailing behind. "Pack it up Specula, we're leaving!" The maverick snapped at the blue organoid, as he passed both of the confused zoids.

Specula shot her head back with a small growl, but then nodded when Shadow pointed out how serious this must be. She held her head low after seeing her master ignore her completely. Humming with uncertainty she fused with the Krystal Geno Saurer.

Ryss found it extremely hard to keep her strides centered, as her vision was blurry and her only guide was Raven ahead of her. "Get me away from here Raven. _Far _away." She told him as he waited for her at the Geno Breaker's cockpit.

Raven's own pain escaped his eyes, as he stared down at her. "I will." He told her softly and watched her step into his cockpit sadly. _"I will."_ He repeated more to himself rather than to her, as he too stepped swiftly into the cockpit.

Almost an hour passed after they left the large base. Raven pushed the Geno Breaker to it's limits with the boosters on high. Both organoids were as confused as ever, why wasn't Vega with them? Shadow was really starting to panic about this.

Ryss continued to cry uncontrollably behind Raven's seat. He couldn't take it anymore, this pain burning inside him was to much for him to bear, and with Ryss in this state it only made things worse. With a sudden pull of the controls, the Geno Breaker came to a halt, somewhere in the middle of the desert.

Raven jumped from the now steaming zoid, it hadn't ever really recovered from the last battle and it still needed some time to heal before going into battle, or any kind of action for that matter.

Raven hung his head and trudged forward through the desert sand. _"Am I destined to suffer? am I paying for my sins?"_ The maverick fell to his knees; a tear flowed freely past his red mark. "Am I not suppose to be happy?" He screamed, the pain in his voice was evident. More tears streamed down his cheeks as he slammed his fists into the sand. _"I am, I am paying for my sins, it all makes sense now."_ A vision came to his mind, no, it was a mixture of many vision's. Visions of his past,

_A grin plastered on his face, as he smashed what was left of a republican command wolf. Shadow flew overhead. The zoid suddenly changed speed and dove into a spiral attack, smashing strait through one redler after the next._ _The young Raven laughed with enjoyment as he shot down the remaining zoids, without a second thought._

The warrior was interrupted from his brutal memories as Ryss came from behind and laced her arms around him. "Don't blame yourself Raven." She rested her head on his back and closed her eyes.

Raven put a hand to her arm, trying his best to comfort her back. He smiled sadly as other memories flooded back to him. "Ryss, do you remember when he was born? No that's a stupid question, of course you do," he turned around and held her close to him. "You were seven months into your pregnancy, I was scared to death because I thought you were giving birth prematurely, but-"

"Yes, zoidian's usually give birth within six months, since he was both human and zoidian it turned out to be somewhere in between." Ryss finished explaining for him.

He smiled at her warmly. "Yeah, well I could have used that bit of information, before your water broke."

His statement caused her to chuckled a bit. "Hey it wasn't my fault, your the one that band me from reading minds."

Raven scoffed. "I suppose your right." He shifted a bit, and began running his fingers through her hair. "He's going to be ok you know. That boy of ours, he'll make us proud." He told her as she made eye contact with him.

"Yeah, but-" her gaze wavered from him. "Will he remember us?"

Raven smiled slightly when she looked back to him. "I doubt it, but I bet he'll remember something about Shadow, he did fuse with him after all. In my experience, organoids seem to have a significant effect on a human's, or a zoidian's memory."

Ryss nodded agreeably before returning her head to his chest. Not a moment had passed as her body shuddered and she began shedding silent tears, gripping the mavericks uniform with both hands.

Raven sighed, as he closed his eyes, resting his chin and a hand to her trembling head.

Both Shadow and Specula stood below the larger zoids. _What's going on? Where's Vega? _Shadow demanded to Specula.

_How would I know? More importantly, why is my master so sad? _Specula retorted and cocked her head in confusion.

_What are you talking about? Nothing is more important then Vega! _Shadow growled at the blue one.

_Oh would you just shut up! You and your stupid obsession with the boy is probably what's causing all these problems! _She growled back and curled into a ball on the desert ground.

Shadow moaned, thinking she might be right, but it never caused a problem before, when he played Vega, so why all of sudden was he gone?

The dark zoid hummed sadly before hovering up to the Geno Breaker's head. That was his usual sleeping place, the only difference. No Vega to nuzzle or nap with.

* * *

AN: (sniff) This was a sad one for me to write. (sniff) I'm sorry. (blows nose) Ok well I hope it didn't make you cry too bad. Oh and All that Zoidian slash Human side effects are my ideas, so if you want to yell at me about how you think it's all stupid then that's ok, but I just wanted to state the fact that I came up with all of it, even if it is strange...anyway review please. 


	13. Organoids and Zoidians

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

AN: This one was kinda fun to write for some reason...now I wonder how many of you reading this, are expecting what's in this chapter? Heheh well I doubt anybody is, so lets just find out shall we? Here goes, and please, enjoy letting me play with your minds in this chappy, I know I will. (laughs)

_Italic's is thinking_

**Chapter Thirteen**

When Ryss shot forward from her sleeping position, she let out a small yelp, feeling her head throbbed every couple seconds. She held her forehead as she slowly examined her surroundings.

Raven had moved the Geno Breaker closer with the Krystal adjacent to it, as Specula slept not five feet away from her. "Rough night?" The dark man said and handed her a cup of coffee when he sat down beside her.

"I...I guess," Ryss answered in a depressed state, as she merely held the warm vessel.

Raven sighed after seeing her sad expression again. "This is going to take some getting use to."

"What is?" The woman asked with no enthusiasm and stared at the brown liquid.

He smiled a week smile, but a smile nonetheless. "This quiet."

Ryss' lips curved a bit, but it wasn't enough to call it a happy expression. "I think I'm going to take a walk," she said after setting her cup on the soft ground, and stood, waiting for acknowledgment.

Raven stared off in the distance as he dipped his head slightly in a nod and took a sip from his own cup. Afterward, the zoidian's eyes quivered when she turned away from him and slowly began walking from the small camp. "Specula," Ryss called weakly when she was only a few yards away.

The blue zoid raised her head instantly from her, still half asleep organoid dreams, and jumped forward, catching up beside her master with only a few speedy strides.

Raven watched her walk away until she had made a good half mile distance, then finally decided to stop at a rather large boulder erupting from the ground, while the other half was bound deep in the sand.

Her face held no emotion as she slid down, with her back against the rock, and wrapped both arms around her legs in a fetal position.

Specula held her head erect, quickly scouting the area. She hummed satisfied with their surroundings, and nudged her mistress playfully trying to cheer her up. _Raven did it again, didn't he? _The zoid asked through their mind set link.

Ryss laughed almost in-audibly and patted Specula's head, when the organoid laid down beside her master and forced her to sit back normally, allowing the zoid to lay her head on Ryss' lap. "No Specula, as much _you_ want it to be his fault. It's not." She said aloud, completely forgetting that she didn't really have to waste the breath on speaking to her partner, when she could just think it to the blue zoid.

Specula roared a protest and pushed gently above her master's chest in a playful manner. This caused Ryss to chuckle a bit. And for a split second she was able to forget about the day before, and it's painful events.

Her expressions, however, quickly changed back to her former depressed state as she stared off into the, seemingly, never ending wasteland scenery.

Specula purred, disappointed by her failure to make her mistress happy. Her lenses, however, shot open and she growled uneasily, nudging her master again.

Ryss' eyes also shot open, as she gaped at her zoid partner. "What do you mean! Is that suppose to be a joke? Because it wasn't funny." She quickly stood and told her organoid.

Specula whined and stepped away, tilting her head, feeling confused.

"Are you sure?" Ryss questioned aloud to her zoid.

Specula nodded her head and roared her answer softly.

Ryss stretched her arm so as to balance herself on the solid cool rock beside her, as she placed her other hand to her, now, burning face. "Oh-ok, Specula, I need you to balance me back, I suddenly don't feel so good." She told her zoid partner, as she was becoming dizzier by the second.

The blue organoid cocked her head at the command. Before Ryss could react, Specula had stepped beside her master and pushed her enough to fall sideways on the small zoid's back. "Wha?" Ryss looked at her organoid, as her vision blurred in and out. "Thanks Specula, but take it slow would you? I'm dizzy enough." She stated and re-seated herself on the organoid's back, in a more comfortable position.

Specula ratified with a confident roar and started back to camp, with a swift, steady pace.

* * *

Shadow continued to sulk atop his sleeping place, simply staring at the Geno Breaker's head blade which he was curled next to. 

While Raven was in his same position on the ground from when Ryss had left. The dark warrior sat forward, taking the larger vessel from the heat of the small fire he made only minutes before, and poured more coffee for himself, then returned the pitcher to it's place near the fire.

He soon heard an organoid's metal footsteps, and looked to see Ryss step off and approach slowly and warily.

"So, doesn't the term, "Walk" mean you actually walk?" Raven inquired her and eyed the zoid she had just been riding, then looked up to her as she now stood right next to him with an unreadable expression on her face.

He raised an eyebrow before she spoke, "I'm pregnant." She told him flat out, staring and matching her eyes to his.

Raven's eyes went a bit wider from her statement, but then looked away from her, seeming almost un-effected by the new information, he took another sip from his cup.

She too looked away and abruptly sat down beside him. "Life sucks." She observed as she poured herself some fresh coffee.

"Yep." Was Raven's quick, almost instant reply.

A moment of silence passed. Specula soon grew impatient and opened her boosters to fly up to Shadow's sleeping form.

Shadow, not in any mood to be bothered, stood and snapped at the blue zoid with his teeth. Specula swerved away from him and hovered near the GB's head. She tilted her head and hissed in confusion._ What's with you?_

Shadow didn't answer but growled and looked away.

_Was it the things I said about Vega? _Specula wanted to know, and landed near the dark zoid, waiting for a reply.

When Shadow didn't answer, she rammed his head gently, trying to get his attention. He growled low at her attempt, but couldn't resist ramming her back almost playfully, as he accepted her presence. _My master told me...Vega isn't coming back. Not for a long time. _Shadow told her in their organoid language of growls and metal sounds.

This caught both Raven's and Ryss' attention, as both zoids exchanged noises of communicating to each other. "So how do you know exactly?" Raven asked, and looked from the two chattering organoids above, to Ryss next to him.

Ryss did the same and turned her attention to Raven. "What, that I'm pregnant?" He nodded slightly before she answered, "Well, Specula. She knows my body better than I do myself. That's how deep our link is."

Raven's eyes narrowed and he reverted his gaze back to the small fire in front of him. "And you trust this "link"?" His voice was cold and full of uncertainty. He would never trust a zoid to that extent. Although he did trust Shadow, this wasn't something he wanted a zoid to be telling him.

"With my life." She told him tartly and with confidence.

"Well that's just too ironic." Raven scoffed, not toward her former vow, but toward a sudden thought that had crossed his mind.

"What is?" Ryss asked, a bit curious.

Raven glanced at her and replied, "Think about it. It's like we just tossed Vega to the wind and now we're already working on a replacement," his eyes saddened by her look of hopelessness, as she turned away. "I hate to put it that way Ryss, but-"

"No, it...That's exactly what happened..." Ryss admitted and cupped her face in her hands, surprisingly not crying, but feeling ashamed nonetheless.

The maverick's features softened. "It's not like we planned it Ryss. I mean we had no idea about Vega's condition when we-"

"No, just stop. stop it!" She shouted and cut him off, as she stood rapidly, fists trembling within her stance. "I-I can't do that again. I can't!" Her eyes clenched as she sobbed a bit.

Raven, slightly astonished by her outbreak, stood to resume the conversation. "Can't do what again?" He asked. His voice had a hint of seriousness, as he held her shoulders and forced her to face him.

Ryss sobbed again but managed to look up at him. "What if the same thing happens? I can't go through all of that again. I won't."

Raven released her and faced downward some, but continued to stare at her. "You know. You've become a real crybaby in the past few years. If I remember right, you use to be a really cruel person." He laughed a bit and crossed his arms. "It's a wonder I didn't like you from day one, considering how cold and uncaring you were back then."

Her eyes narrowed at him, before looking away with a peeved expression on her face. "Yeah well, I don't recall you ever crying before last night either." Ryss retorted and wiped her eyes with her arm, walking towards her zoid. "I'm ready to leave." She told the dark one, not even bothering to look back at him.

Raven shook his head while pouring the remains of the container out on the ground. _"Well she's pretty well annoyed with me now, but at least that got her to stop with the tears...for now." _He thought as he tossed the last of the makeshift camp into a small bag, and then made his way to his own zoid.

When both of them were seated in their respective zoids, Ryss opened a link, "Let me know if there's a battle, I feel like smashing something."

Raven gave her a strange look. "What will you be doing if I don't?"

"None of your business." She told him bluntly and closed the link. Seconds later Specula fused with the larger blue zoid, and took over, as Ryss reclined in her seat.

Raven sighed exasperated. "She really is pissed." He thought aloud to himself, pressing a few buttons and forced the Geno Breaker forward, with the blue one trailing behind soon after.

* * *

AN: Well...I bet you wern't expecting THAT. Heh well if you WERE expecting Ryss' little surprise, go ahead and brag about it in a review, and I'm sorry I know this one is kinda on the short side, but I wanted to stop this chapter here. And as usual, tell me what you thought about it please. Next chap should be up in two weeks, three at the most.  



	14. Learning to cope

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

AN: Well, since I watched the Final Four this past week, I think I'm back in the groove of Raven and Ryss' personalities. Something I noticed about them in the Final Four, (that for some reason I just sorta forgot or something) is that they are rather nice to each other. I mean Raven was in his best behavior in the episode: 'The gravity cannon'  
HE EVEN SAID: "Ryss I'm sorry." (gasp) Yeah that must be a major thing I forgot or something...and then when they got Shadow back, Ryss was always at Raven's side trying to help him...Anyway enough of my babbling here's chap14. It's a tad on the long side, I hope your happy nightfighter.  
_Italic's is thinking_

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Ryss, wake up, we have a battle." Raven told her over the com link.

Ryss literally jumped out of her sleep when her battle partner so abruptly woke her. "Hm? How many?" She replied, first rubbing her eyes and then taking the controls in hand.

"Just take a look." He told her and vanished from the screen.

Sending out to their opponents, Raven stated the rules, "Triple the amount of Zi, and you fight my partner." He ordered, and waited for a reply.

Ryss scoped out the opposing team while Raven and their leader swapped terms for the coming battle.  
Three Saber Fangs, ten Command Wolves, and five Konig Wolves all stood a good distance away, making up the opposing team.

When the leader chuckled at Raven's comment. He up'd the bet and Raven simply smirked at his foolishness. Turning his zoid, the dark one passed Ryss' zoid before continuing forward, away from the, soon to be, battle feild. "You fight them all. When you win we get five times the normal amount."

Ryss didn't reply, but pushed her zoid forward, ready for the long awaited training session, with Specula flying overhead, prepared to fuse if summoned.

When Raven was a good distance away, he opened his cockpit and stood at the edge, watching the zoid massacre begin. "She's a completely different person in the cockpit, eh Shadow?" Raven asked his organoid as it hovered down and landed on the GB's left claw, growling in agreement.

Things were finally turning back to normal.  
At least, as normal as they could.  
Ryss wasn't crying non-stop, like she was the day before, but that was to be expected, she did after all, lose her first and only child. No parent should have to suffer that fate. But then again, so many lives he himself took. Raven the most feared zoid warrior of the empire.

So many towns he had destroyed, simply because they were in his line of fire.  
So many pilots begged for their lives before him, as he simply laughed at their sorry attempt to save themselves in the midst of battle.  
But something he had always been taught by Prozen, 'When a life is taken in battle, a new life will be born to takes it's place, and the only way to stop the war, and stop the killing, is to take lives.' He was taught that, from day one of being trained by that arrogant wanna be emperor. That and how to shoot a gun. Then once he had the taste for war, the young warrior lived by that code.  
Cold and uncaring, he killed without a single though of remorse.

Such thoughts were meaningless at this point though. All he could do was repent by helping Van and the Guardian Force with keeping the peace, and at least _try _to live a normal life, however, so far, it wasn't coming along too well. Although him and Ryss did have an intresting four years with Vega, it wasn't nearly long enough.

A smile crept to his lips as his thoughts again revolved around Vega and about what the future would bring. Vega sure had his share of trouble making, but in the long run, it only reminded Raven that the boy was his son, even if, by looks alone, you could tell that fact right away. But that was something that amused Raven the most about the boy. He was the complete opposite of Raven, and in a way, it was almost like being reborn for the dark zoid pilot.

Maybe Ryss being pregnant wasn't such a bad thing after all. Infact he welcomed the thought of having another Vega around. Even if it did mean, having to go through all that pain again. Having to suffer the fate of that disease. But Dr. D didn't say anything about that happening with every half zoidian, so maybe there was still hope, even if it was only a slim chance.  
They would definetly have to return to that base and ask a few more questions. Hopefully the old doctor was still alive when they went back.

Raven turned his attention from his thoughts back to the battle field before him.  
He smirked as he watched Ryss began using the Geno's claws instead of the laser.

She cut down one zoid after another, until it was only the lead Saber remaining. The pilot was panic stricken, as he quickly looked from one of his downed teammates to another. "I give up! Just stop attacking!" He shouted and opened his cockpit with his hands up.

Ryss growled, but silently commanded Specula to retrieve their prize.

The blue zoid obeyed and shot toward the remaining Saber. Growling and narrowing her lenses, Specula snipped at the man in the cockpit and nearly landed in his lap as she glared at him. The man, however, fumbled with his money as he was simply staring wide eyed, in shock at the sight of the blue organoid. "Ah, ok!" He yelped and slowly placed the plastic tube of money in Specula's jaws. She jerked her head back, in an attemp to frighten the poor man even more, before flying off and back to her mistress.

Laughing through a roar, Specula perched herself on her master's cockpit and dropped the prize in Ryss' lap. _I think he wet himself_ She told her mistress.

Ryss laughed momentarily and patted her zoid's nose in amusement with her comment. "I don't doubt your abilities Specula." She stated while counting the money.

Specula hummed a reply and hovered backward when Ryss closed the cockpit, and made her way to Raven's location.

* * *

Later that night, Raven had made a campfire which illuminated the whole area. Even someone twenty miles away could see it's flicker amidst the desert darkness. 

Raven laid on his back with his hands pillowing his head as his eyes were closed. He wasn't sleeping but was merely enjoying the peace and quiet, while Ryss sat right next to him, hunched over a bit, with one arm resting on the leg before it.

The two zoid pilots simply observed the silence of the wilderness and neither of them felt the urge to speak for at least an hour after the sun set over the far off dry plains.

Their organoids could hardly stand it! the gloominess of it all was depressing. Shadow's eyes suddenly shot wide as he stood and roared wildly as if he was being provoked, Specula imitating him soon after.

"Shadow knock it off, whatever it is you want, I don't feel like it." Raven told his zoid, as his eyes remained shut, and didn't even bother to glare at the organoid.

Silence soon took over again and the only sound surrounding the camp, was the fire crackling.  
That is, until Ryss suddenly shot forward a bit, and gagged covering her mouth with one hand and gripping her stomach with the other.She yelped in pain and fought to hold in her last meal.

Raven immediatly pulled himself to a sitting position and his features saddened, as he placed his hand on her back, trying his best to comfort her.

It was times like this when he felt completely powerless. This was also when he would have a warm, sorry gaze, instead of his usual, cold, heartless scowl. "So, am I mistaken, or arn't these symptoms a bit early?" He wanted to know, as he rubbed her back.

The zoidian didn't respond as her eyes tightened and closed while trying to stand, but failed miserably when her body suddenly sent her into a spasm, that was gone just as fast as it came. Within seconds Raven was supporting her with one hand grasping her arm, which was still holding firmly around her abdomen, and his other applied to her shoulder. "Ryss, what's wrong? What do you want me to do?"

"I...I don't know." The woman flinched after answering, when her head panged and she became dizzier by the second.

She felt like she was dying. The nauseous feeling in her stomach, and the sharp pain in her forehead. Her body shook and hummed it's discomfort. She felt as if she was on the giving side of being fused with an organoid, almost as if she was the one being drained of the energy to heal.

Ryss cried out in searing pain as Raven watched in horror and felt completely useless while she was having to endure this whole ordeal.  
When finally, it stopped, all of it. She breathed heavily and sweat dripped from her brows as she was cowering low in Raven's arms.

Raven was flat out worried at this point. Never in the past few years had something like that happen to her. Oh sure, she would have mild spasm attacks durring her sleep, and the reason for that was still unknown, but never when she was awake, or of that intensity.

"What was that?" Raven asked, concern spread thoughout his voice, as he released her a tiny bit.

Ryss slowly sat up with Raven's arms still centered around her as he stared questionably. "To tell the truth," she hesitated meeting his gaze and feeling a bit dumbfounded herself. "I honestly don't know."

By now, Shadow and Specula were completely mortified and as confused as their masters. _That wasn't suppose to happen,_ Specula told Shadow, and quickly rushed to her master's side, cooing with concern.

"I'm ok now Specula." Ryss reasured her zoid with a pat on the snout.

Specula growled satisfied with that, and left her mistriss in Raven's care once more, as she returned to her spot next to Shadow and curled up beside him.

Shadow growled and snipped at her when she nudged him, but this only caused the blue one to snip back and hiss an, _Oh shut up._

Raven continued to stare, with a worried look. "Are you sure?" He asked seriously and held her shoulders firmly.

Ryss thought about it some more but nodded finally.  
It was like something had just attacked her, searched her, tormenting her even. What was it? Ryss couldn't fathom what it might have been, but it scared her, whatever it was.

The maverick smiled sadly and released her, so she could sit beside him normally. "Don't do that to me Ryss, if anything happened to you..." he looked at her, a hint of sarcasm in his tone, but on the other hand he was dead serious. Ryss was all he had left aside from Shadow, and losing Vega was one thing, but the thought of losing her was just unbearable.

"What? If anything happened to me. What?" Ryss asked, hoping he would finish his sentence.

Raven's gaze didn't waver from her, as he cupped her chin with his scarred hand. "I love you Ryss, I know I don't say that as often as you would like..."

Ryss took his hand in hers and linked their fingers together. "Raven, what's wrong?"

The dark one looked away as he answered, "It just...It scares me..." his features tightened in a scowl and he unknowingly gripped Ryss' hand almost to the point of making her yelp in pain. "The thought of losing you scares me," he looked at her again. "It scares me, because I don't know what I might do."

Ryss let out a slight laugh. "What are you saying Raven? That you'll go berserk if something happends to me?" she sneered at him a little. "I'm flattered, but that's not what I want, Raven."

He simply sneered right back. "Dont' make fun of me Ryss," he warned her playfully.

"I'm not making fun of you, I'm being serious, and I don't like that look." She told him and stated her own warning.

_Here we go again, _Specula murmured to Shadow, as they were both nearly asleep when Raven replied, "What look?." He _did _have a mischievous look on his face.

"That lo..." Ryss' world spun as Raven's assassin like reflexes rendered him a straddling position above her. She sighed hopelessly, not even trying to resist. "Gee, where have I seen this before?" she stared up at him for a moment and noticed he wasn't pinning her arms down, but was merely towering over her, as if waiting for something to happen.

"Raven, I don't feel like it, I just want to sleep. Besides I'm pregnant, that means no rough housing." She told him matter a factly.

"I'll go easy on you," he replied and bent down kissing her.

The zoidian, however, took about thirty seconds of that, before giving up and rolling him, therefore officially starting the contest of wills.

Raven, still wary of her after what happened only minutes before, smirked and allowed her the satisfaction of a few seconds, before turning the tables once again with ease.

This caught both organoid's attention, as it usually did, and they watched as sand was everywhere at this point and every couple of seconds they would hear a 'thump' noise, indicating someone had lost dominance over the other. Specula often wondered how her small mistress could ever topple the maverick. It was just something she would continue to wonder about.

Ryss was laughing whole heartedly when their game came to a close, and Raven emerged victorious. This caused him to smile warmly at her. That was the first time he heard her laugh like that since their wedding.  
Both of them panting heavily after their little spar, Raven soon caught site of her looking up, past him. He followed her gaze upward and then noticed how clear a night it was. "Thank you Raven, I think I'm going to be ok. Vega, he'll...he'll be ok. I understand that now." Looking back at her, the maverick's smile hadn't changed, as Ryss dusted his hair off somewhat.

Raven chuckled at her attempt to rid his hair of the sand. "Of course he will, he's my son, and that's not going to help." He told her, laying down beside her.

"Yeah I woudn't mind a shower right now."

He turned his head to stare at her, unamused. "Go to sleep Ryss."

* * *

AN: Well another chapter done, hoped you liked it, I know it was fluffy, but that's what I felt like writing after those sad chapters. Same'o, Same'o review please. 


	15. Hypercritical Oaths

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer I do not own anything in this story.**

AN: Ok here be ch15, oh and just a heads up, I recommend going to my user prefs and taking a look at the picture I posted for this chapter, before actually reading this. It will give you a better picture in your mind of the zoid in this chapter.

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Raven!" Ryss cried out, but she didn't get an answer as her voice seemed to echo on and on endlessly.

She searched the dark void desperately, to the point that her eyes hurt. She couldn't find nor see anything. _"This has got to be a dream,"_ she told herself and relaxed with that thought in mind. That is, until a strange figure began to approach her slowly. It could have rivaled Specula's height but was four legged, and it took the shape of a cat, with random glows of red light appearing here and there upon its armor. It's glowing metal plates illuminated the area around the both of them.  
It was obvious by now, it was a zoid.

The blades, spikes, whatever they were, seemed to sprout from this beast's armor as it now stood only five feet away from the zoidian.

Ryss was about to utter something when a piercing metal growl erupted from the zoid. Although very painfully, Ryss understood the zoid's chosen tongue. _Do not speak unless spoken to wench! I should just execute you right here, but alas that is against my code._

Ryss attempted to relieve the pressure of his screeching growls and roars by covered her ears. "Against your code? Who are you?"

_It matters not what you call me. I am an executioner. A bringer of destruction. You, being a zoidian should know of my kind, and of what I speak._

"But why are you here? I thought this was a dream!"

_I am here because you are a zoidian with special abilities, as you should have long since known already.  
__I have awakened because of you, you and your seed, or should I say abomination! I was created to prevent what you have done!_

His red metal eyes narrowed at her, which caused her to shake slightly. "But I...I don't understand."

_I gave you a chance. A chance to write your wrongs, by making you watch your offspring die a miserable death. I thought you would have learned, but no! No, you had to prevent that. -That! Which was suppose to happen!- You cannot reproduce with these 'humans' you are surrounded by. You are not like them. Therefore I cannot allow your offspring to live. They do not belong in this world. They, who are unnatural!_

"What are you saying? Are you the reason my son was struck with that damn disease? Are you the reason I have those stupid attacks at night?" Ryss fumed and demanded the wicked looking metal cat standing before her. "You-you're the reason behind that _last_ attack...Arn't you?" She scowled at him and formed her hands into fists.

His eyes glowed a furious blazing red and his spikes shot out. Now his fangs raked the ground and the spikes he housed, stood three feet taller. _Silence! You will not defy me zoidian! Now! On your knees!_

His high pitched roar sent Ryss immediately to the ground as he had commanded. She held her head and screamed her agony as he continued to bellow his ear piercing roar.  
_I cannot fathom the reason you creatures seek companionship with these inferior beings! Mark my words zoidian! I will exterminate your child, no matter where he may hide!_

He paused for a second, allowing her to look up at him as he lowered his head to hers, matching her eyes to his, he slowly and quietly added, _And, let us not forget those to come._

Ryss' eyes went wide and she was soon full with rage as his blades quickly retracted and he raised his head to look down on her. "You _were _the reason behind my attacks!"

_Be still zoidian! I see no reason for me to explain myself to you! -You, that has defiled and tainted your own people's integrity!- Also, do not rely on that 'raven' you are so happily attached to. He is powerless compared to me, as are you. In fact, I might rid this world of him just so as to prevent any further temptation. _

Ryss stood with raw fury and balled fists. "What? But I thought you said it was against your code!"

He turned and started to walk away, into the darkness from where he had first appeared, almost as if he wasn't going to answer her.  
_Aye that is my code, with your kind, but humans hold no bars to me. Your ancestors, my creators, they were smart, making me swear never to kill a zoidian._

Ryss' eyes were watering up at this point. "What-what gives you the right to do this? And how does a zoid hold _any_ kind of integrity or honor so as to actually _swear_ to something?"

He turned back to her and simply stood as he began to answer her in an annoyed tone, _It is my purpose! You of all people should know this. My brothers, you knew them, we were all created as one. All of us given a certain purpose when we were separated. And HONOR, you ask? You have no right to talk of such things, but if you must know, I am the very HEART of those who were my brothers. An organoid as you would put it._

Ryss was short of breath now, and she was beginning to feel dizzy again. "You...you mean the _death_ zoids?"

_You ask a great many questions to your child's executioner young zoidian. Yes those would be the ones I speak of._

Ryss again dropped to her knees, but this time out of exhaustion. The air around her seemed to get warmer and harder to breath. "Why...why do you say I'm young...I don't understand, why are you"

_Enough! I refer to you as young because you ARE compared to me, and you are naive and stupid to be having anything to do with humans!  
__Now you will return to your, consciousness_ _and you will dread EVERY day until I come to destroy everything you hold dear!  
__THAT is your punishment! Oh and don't worry, you are not the only one, so I urge you to inform your fellow zoidian of what you learned here, for she does not know of her fate as you now do._

Ryss was now having to support herself on all fours, laboring to breath the thick air. "Wait...I don't..."

_Oh do not worry. I will let much time pass before I strike. So you go tell that 'mate' of yours, and prepare to defend yourselves, for I shall not show ANY mercy when I find you! _

_Now! _He snarled and stomped the ground with his forepaws, causing an enormous earthquake around him that then spread throughout the area._ That is all I have to tell you, now begone from my sight, you disgust me!_

With that said, Ryss felt herself give way to the sudden weight on her eyelids and collapsed to the unstable floor.

* * *

After finally leaving that dark realm, Ryss returned to her consciousness, just as the metal cat had said. She then sat forward shouting, "No!" 

Raven blocked instinctively in his sleep, since he knew his wife well enough now, that whenever she would shout that, a punch of some kind would follow suit soon after. "What's wrong? What happened?" He asked groggily. It had only been an hour at the most since he got to sleep.

When Raven sat up and got a good look at her, Ryss was panting frantically and her face dripped, partly from sweat, but she had been crying too. That didn't make any sense though, if she was crying it would have woke him up. "Ryss?" He asked again when she wasn't responding to his question.

"Raven...I just had the worst nightmare in history..." She told him almost sarcastically but at this moment she wasn't completely sane.

Raven sighed in relief and shook his head, not fully understanding the severity of the situation. "How could it be any worse than what's already happened?" He scoffed. "I mean it's not like it was real right?"

When he seen her give him the 'I'm not kidding' look, he was sent back a bit and nodded apologetically. "What was it about?"

She thought back at the conversation and began, "Some type of zoid came to me...an organoid of some kind I think...I don't know, he said he was an executioner-"

"Wait, what do you mean, came to you? You mean he was _real_?"

Ryss nodded slowly and continued, "Raven, he said he knows about Vega, he knows about you, and he knows that I'm pregnant...it's like he's been watching us, or..."

"...Or what? Ryss, what is it?" Raven watched her shocked features as he was feeling very much out of the loop.

It finally clicked in her mind, everything seemed to flow together now. "That's how he knew...he was monitoring me...in my sleep,"

Raven was dumbfounded at this point. "You lost me Ryss. How does a zoid monitor?"

"He did so through those countless attacks at night...ever since Vega was born, and this wasn't just any zoid, he had a mind of his own, like the Deathsaurer, and he said he could contact me through my dreams because I have telepathic powers."

"So? You still haven't told me what's so bad about this dream, all I've heard so far is, he knows about our sorry excuse for a family."

When Ryss told him the full extent of the situation she was in tears again by the time she finished.

Raven had spoke of what HE might do if something were to happen to HER, but now that it was the other way around she wasn't sure if she could handle it.

Raven was again embracing her as she continued crying into his chest, and he just sighed hopelessly. _"Come on! I just got this shit to stop!"_ He thought and glanced up at the sky, still full of stars, hoping to get an answer from there somehow.

After a moment Raven growled in irritation and pulled Ryss away by the shoulders. "Ryss, stop this, I can't take it anymore, that zoid you're so afraid of? It isn't going to get anywhere near you, me, or Vega, and if by some chance he does. Then I'll deal with it then, but I can't stand these tears anymore...I never have and I never will." He told her sternly, and then smiled warmly at her when she looked away and nodded sadly.

"But Raven, I was helpless simply because he raised his voice. He did nothing more than shout, and I was on the ground, at his mercy."

"I don't care! No one, not even the Deathsaurer succeeded in killing me! This zoid will be no different!"

Ryss rubbed her eyes, trying to rid herself of the all too familiar tears. "I hope your right Raven, it's just that...he scared me, not just what he told me. It was his presence, it was eerie, unlike anything, even the Deathsaurer. There was something about him, it was different somehow, and he spoke in an ancient tongue. A tongue I'd long since forgot. He also seemed wise...very wise, in fact I was almost convinced that he was right...but then it occurred to me. He's evil, he has to be. He said he was created from...-or with, the _death_ zoids.

Raven listened thoughtfully while motioning for the organoids to approach. "Ryss, I'm sure this zoid is powerful...but I really don't give a damn anymore," he stated flatly and moved a few strands of hair behind her ear, while both organoids planted themselves on either side of their respective masters. "Besides, you are the only thing I really care about anymore, and if he said he can't hurt you, then I'm not worried," before Ryss could argue about that, Raven had already applied a forceful, but tender kiss to her lips, therefore putting a stop to that argument before it even started.

Specula grumbled in disapproval but Shadow just laughed with a grunt, thinking, _I'd of done that too._

"Now go to sleep Ryss, and try not to have anymore nightmares," the maverick told her after breaking from her, and laying on his back, he added, "Besides, even if that zoid does come, Shadow and Specula will warn us."

Shadow roared in agreement, which then earned a similar growl from Specula as she nudged her mistress, telling her to lie down as well. This caused Ryss to laugh a tiny bit as she did as told by her zoid. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Raven closed his eyes before he replied, "Good now try to get some sleep." This was something Ryss couldn't do for hours that night, although having Raven and both organoids close calmed her a lot, she still found it hard to pull off after that strange and eerie encounter. When she finally did get to sleep, however, it had only been a couple hours from sunrise.

That's when she was slowly waking up, to the sound of rushed rustling movement. There was no other sound, it was strange, no talking, just the sound of movement and breathing. When she opened her eyes, Raven stood only a few feet away, his arms resting at his sides, and he was staring at a very large and all too familiar metal cat. Ryss quickly sat up scouting the camp for the organoids. They appeared frozen. She assumed they had sensed him, but not nearly fast enough, as they were paralyzed still laying down with only their heads up.

Suddenly it struck her, he must be here for Raven. "Raven get back!"

The maverick didn't flinch at her warning, he continued to give this intruder a deadly glare. NO-ONE came into HIS camp un-invited, and/or then freeze HIS organoid. No-one!

Finally, the zoid spoke, and somehow, even Raven could understand his language. _Do not worry young one, I am not here to execute anyone just yet, my word is also my code. I live by my code, and I only execute when I see it fit in with my code. Now, you. _The zoid spoke to Ryss in a soft, calm tone and then addressed Raven and came face to face with Raven as the maverick had positioned himself between the two. _If you have an ounce of sense, you will not challenge me like that again, human_.

Raven's eyes narrowed at the zoid's threat but didn't waver. "What do you want?" He demanded coldly. "Besides, YOU are the one that challenged ME, by entering MY camp!" He added harshly and without fear of the outrageously large cat.

The zoid huffed in a low growl. _You are either arrogant or very stupid, young human. It would be wise not to demand anything of me. But nonetheless I will answer your unworthy question._

Raven's fists tensed at the comment and was about to retort when Ryss stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder, she shook her head.

_I am here to test you. My code obligates me to do so before I destroy a life,_ The zoid paused, looking to Ryss who was now behind and slightly to the side of Raven. _That is, aside from those abominations, for that is my purpose, to execute them on site, no matter the circumstances._

Raven threw his fist down in a sudden fury. "If you mean my son, then you have yourself a challenge!" He held his scowl and added with disgust, "_Zoid_."

This caused the zoid to go into a much the same rage, as he basically exploded with growls which soon turned into roars, knocking both Raven and Ryss backward. Sand and dust whirled madly around the enraged zoid, his eyes glowing fiery red and his blades were all extended fully.

_Well you are quite bold to challenge me, human. Come then, if you manage to reach me, I will spare your life._ The zoid commanded unusually calm within his violent whirlwind.

Raven stood, lifting his arm to block the wind and sand from his eyes as he began to approach. "Raven, you're not actually-"

"Stay there Ryss!" He told her without turning back to look at her, but, rather, focused earnestly on his objective.

When he had come within only ten feet of the whirlwinds core, where he could almost clearly see the evil zoid causing it, he taunted with much arrogance. "Well? Is this all you can do? I'm not impressed zoid!"

With a sudden impact that even Raven couldn't see, he soon found himself on his back, the raging wind had ceased and the big organoid was pinning him down with his forepaws clenching the dark pilot's arms into the sand.

_You test my patience human! Never in my time, that I have roamed this planet, have I ever come across a being of your ignorance and arrogance!_ His spikes had already regained their normal length, but his fangs were still severely long and were positioned on either side of Raven's throat.

Raven smirked. "Go on, do you honestly think I have anything else to lose? I am not afraid of death. Of course, a zoid wouldn't know the meaning of that word. _Fear._"

"Raven, stop testing him!" Ryss cried and began running to them.

_Stay where you are! _The zoid snarled at her and then scowled back down at his captive _I find this amusing,_ _I have only found two humans, worthy of my code, out of all the time I have patrolled this planet, -being awakened every time a half bred zoidian was born into this world and following through with my purpose- THAT is what I find amusing about you. You should feel privileged, you are the third human who has passed my test, for I shall spare your life. Never in my visits to the zoidian's dreams did I find you so worthy, but you must be understanding, I do not trust you humans._ He stepped back, allowing Raven to regain his stance as he dusted himself off, still glaring a bit in irritation at the evil looking cat.

Ryss rejoined her husband, there to support him if he needed it. "So does this mean you'll leave us alone now?"

The zoid grunted and looked to her. _By no means young zoidian, I am in no way your friend, I simply don't kill without a just cause, remember I have yet to find your son and follow through with his execution, keep in mind I only found you because of my link with you, but since even you do not know where he is, I have some searching to do, normally I can find these unnatural beings with ease, but you have hidden him somehow. But no matter, I will find him sooner or later, and let's not forget, then there is your child to come, and that other zoidian's offspring. So as you can see, it will be some time before I sleep again._

"You bastard! Why can't you just leave us be?" It was Raven who swore and took an angered step forward.

_Think twice about attacking me, human, I may not be willing to kill you, but I have nothing against taking an arm or two. And MUST I say it again? It is my PURPOSE to destroy the half breeds, there is no way around it, not even my code can protect them. They are WRONG to be in this world, as much as I loath you humans, I must contain this disease they carry with them from birth, otherwise it will carry throughout generations like a plague!_

"But what if there was a way to cure their disease in the future?" The maverick refused to let down and continued to argue.

_I know nothing of a solution to this, I simply carry out my objectives, and do not ask questions. Now, if you plan to protect your next child, which has been my experience time and time again..._ He paused and growled, almost in a depressed state. _I have had to kill EVERY zoidian mother in the past, in order to complete this purpose. I imagine you will be no different? _The zoid looked to Ryss, a bit hopeful, if that was even possible.

Raven and Ryss were both confused at this point, this zoid seemed to contradict everything he said. "But what about your code?" Raven wanted to know, as he suddenly became worried for Ryss' safety.

The zoid growled again. _My purpose comes before ALL else, even my code. And I either had to kill the mother to get to the child, or the mother begged me to end her suffering afterward..._

"That is twisted!" Raven barked with immense fury.

_Maybe so human, but I do not forsake my oaths._ The zoid shifted on his paws and his blades glowed red. _I will allow one last question before I part. Choose wisely zoidian. For I shall not return to you until your unborn child has in fact been born._

Ryss looked up from her dazed, depressed thinking. She first looked at the zoid, and then to Raven, as he merely closed his eyes and gestured her to speak. "So then, why is it you don't just kill me now? That is if you are going to kill me anyway, because I will not stand by and watch you kill my son."

The zoid sneered at her the best way a zoid could. _That is a good question, but I do not think the raven here would agree to that. I am giving you two a chance to defend yourselves, nothing more._ He jumped back a good ten feet, the raging whirlwind returned, slightly calmer then before. _I will find you again within the time of two years, maybe one. It depends, I am not sure if I should let you get attached. Nonetheless, I will take my leave now. _With that said, the zoid's lenses blinked, and both metal dragons were released from their captive's strange hold on them.

Shadow snarled and charged after the larger organoid, slashing through the small twister, he hadn't made contact with anything. The zoid was simply not there now, and the wind died down, leaving a very dumbfounded Shadow."Shadow, that's enough, he's gone." His dark master told him and kicked some sand on the barely flickering fire with agitation.

I'll get him next time then, Shadow grumbled and hung his head.

Sure you will, Specula agreed sarcastically and stood next to him as he sulked.

Raven crossed his arms and watched Ryss hold her arms at her waist, thinking silently, as she gazed lifelessly in the direction of the zoid which made this morning so interesting.

The maverick was about to start off with the discussion, when a loud bleep sound was heard from his zoid. He growled in annoyance, before returning his arms to his sides and walking past Ryss, to his zoid.

Ryss continued to gaze blankly into the distance, even after Raven's presence was absent. She stood that way for a good couple minutes when Raven stepped beside her, again with his arms at his chest. "That was Karl. We are assigned to the town, Van and I were sent to investigate," he faced her, searching her features for any sign of acknowledgment.

When yet again she refused to respond, Raven's eyes saddened, and he resolved that she was bringing him down with her faster than he could have expected. Finally he decided to use physical speech by wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her around and toward the zoids. "We need to leave now, in order to make it to the town by nightfall." His words, however, didn't seem to animate her at all. She seemed to be in deep thought, but that was something he couldn't confirm for certain.

When they arrived in front of the blue zoid, Ryss loaded easily into her cockpit, but still didn't say a word. Raven stared at her sullen face, and sorrow filled his eyes. When would things ever be normal again? Would they ever in the first place? The dark one shook his head sadly and sighed. "I think you should have Specula take over, just rest ok?"

At last she nodded and slowly pushed a button, closing the cockpit after Raven had walked away, thereafter loading into his own war machine.

* * *

AN: Well...all I got to say is dang it's deep...how bout you? what did you think about it? Please tell me all in a Review. 


	16. A Fresh Start

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything in this story.**

Authors Note: Hey I'm back! Woopah! Hurrah! Kay well this chap might get a little confusing, just try to stick with meh kay? This is really long by the way, so I hope you got yer popcorn, a fresh soda pop and, huh candy is always good...(Laugh)

**Chapter Sixteen**

-Syphern colony-

Darkness overtook the vast desert, though the colony was well lit, it couldn't forsake the fact that it was night, something that the clear dark sky and its stars complimented exceptionally. There was a cool desert air to the town, Ryss noticed as she leaned on the windowsill and breathed in as a brief refreshing breeze blew past. Turning to get another look around the room, she seen Raven was fast asleep on the one large bed in the house they had been assigned. The day had been tiring, for everyone really, but he didn't complain, whatever got his mind off of his problems. Sprawled out on the other side of the bed was a red headed ten year old boy, equally exhausted from the day's activities.

Thinking back now, Ryss smiled in wonder of how the maverick could become so attached in such a short amount of time...

* * *

It was dawn when they reached the town, Syphern colony to be exact. It had an immense stone barrier squared around the entire village, with only one opening, at the front. Raven thought it wiser to leave the zoids outside the wall for now. The only possession he took with him was his Guardian Force badge with its empire symbol of a dragon wrapped around a sword. 

Ryss walked beside him, with a seemingly and surprisingly better expression on her face. She gave him a forced smile when he looked to give her a reassuring glance.

Raven was about to tell her not to worry about recent events when they suddenly came upon someone they assumed to be a village elder. "My, my, such young new faces, did you need something? I'm afraid we don't have much to offer seeing as how we keep getting raided time and again." the old man greeted wearily. His height wasn't something to envy, but that might have been partly because he was hunched over a bit and rested on his cane. Ryss couldn't help but notice that the cloak he wore stretched all the way to the sandy ground, and was quivering more than it should have been since the old man wasn't moving at all. She continued to be puzzled by this as Raven explained their reason for being there.

"No, we're here because of the raiders," the dark one answered and flashed his badge to the elder, who had to squint in order to see it clearly.

"Ah, well yes, they have been a very big problem for us lately, and I apologize for your inconvenience of having to come way out here, I'm sure you would much rather be at your home right now," Raven wasn't really listening as he eyed Ryss' strange looks toward the old man's cape like garment.

He soon snapped out of his gaze of bewilderment to then concentrate on the conversation once more. "Well yeah, I mean no, we're just vagabonds, outcasts really. It doesn't bother us to move around."

"Oh, well I'm sorry to hear that, but I guess we each have our own ways of living," the old man replied, nodding his head now and then. "Now, we need to find you place to stay-"

"No!" A voice shouted from behind the elder. A boy emerged from behind him. He launched himself at Raven and grappled to him until he found the desired item, with it in hand he fell backwards as Raven kicked him lightly.

"What the? Hey kid what did you just do?" Raven questioned as the boy examined the badge now in his hand as he sat on the ground. His eyes went wide and he stood, threw it down, and spit on the ground near it. "Why you...!" Raven grabbed him by the collar, growled, and gave the boy a stern look in the eyes. "Explain yourself, Brat!"

"Please no!" the elder pleaded just in time, as the boy was about to spit again in disrespect.

Raven still gripped the boy as they both looked at the old man. "He's just misunderstood, that's all. Please if you would just listen..."

Raven growled again and dropped the kid onto his bottom. "I'm listening," the dark man stated as he picked up, and dusted his GF badge. He looked to Ryss who simply watched as the drama unfolded before her. She shrugged and looked at the boy as did Raven.

The youth, still on the ground, his legs crossed as he leaned his left elbow on a leg, therefore resting his head on his left fist, as he waited for his inevitable punishment. He looked to be about ten years old, his hair, red with the slightest mixture of blonde, was cropped back at the sides, almost resembling Van's hairstyle except it lacked the wild and spiky fashion which was one of Van's unmistakable trademarks. He had a stubborn chin that was most apparent when angered. His clothes looked worn and dirty, stitches here and there, but they housed no holes.

Raven scowled at the boy, arms crossed as Ryss drew beside him. "This had better be good," he said, more to the boy rather than the elder, who was suppose to be the one to explain.

"Please, be calm, you must understand, his parents were ruthlessly killed by the empire when he was only just a tyke."

"He still IS a tyke," Raven pointed out, obviously vexed by the boy's actions.

"Yes, you are correct I suppose, but seven years ago our colony was maliciously attacked, and we lost many of our colonists. Among them were both his parents. They were both slain for resisting the Empire. I imagine you know that there was no 'Guardian Force' back then, and so up until five years ago, he was taught about all the evil that the Empire was capable of, so you can understand, he simply hasn't forgiven them yet, even though it's been five years since the Empire had begun working along side with the Republic," the old man paused, sighing as he hobbled over to stand beside the boy. "Please forgive him, he doesn't know any better."

The boy kept his head down but watched Raven with devious eyes. The dark one scoffed as he looked from him to the elder. "He's got another thing coming if he thinks I'll forgive him."

"Same goes for you," the ill-behaved child mumbled as his eyes wandered in boredom.

"You little whelp I'll-!"

"Raven, no!" Ryss intercepted the irate zoid pilot's assault as she faced his side and held a hand to his chest. A common physical phrase to cease, albeit it wasn't very effective other than the fact that he knew she disapproved, and that seemed to be enough at the moment. "He's just a child, you should know better than anyone what he's been through," she made certain to have eye contact with him as she spoke.

Raven growled and again scowled at the boy. "Fine," he looked to the elder. "You say he has no parents?"

The man nodded. "We have many orphans, he's one of the oldest."

"Then Ryss and I will adopt him," Raven stated, his voice obscured and plain, unreadable even.

Ryss was looking at the boy as her husband announced this. It took her longer than it should have to register what he just said. She glanced at him, then made herself take a double-take, with shock written all over her features. "Ra-Raven, wha? But shouldn't we talk about this first?"

"Yeah, we just did," the dark man replied while stepping forward and stopping bluntly, he stared down at the gaping boy.

Ryss also gaped with her mouth ajar as she looked to the elder man. As if questioning him.

He shrugged and reset himself on his cane. "Please, take him, we have far too many children without families. I imagine we will need you to fill out some paperwork, but it sounds as though you'll be here awhile."

Finally the boy spoke up for himself as he was in just as much shock as Ryss. "Elder, you're not _really_ going to let this happen are you!" he pushed himself to all fours as he was about to stand up, but Raven had other ideas as he grabbed the boy by the back of his shirt.

"Hm, the way I see it, you don't have a choice in the matter," Raven inclined his head to one side as he was holding the boy one handed, arrogantly, if it was to be called anything.

The boy grimaced and whined. "Put me down! You're just a huge bully!"

Raven nodded blankly, that seemed pretty accurate. "Ryss, have the man show you where our room is, I'm taking him out."

"What? But Rave-" Ryss was still dumbfounded by all the new happenings as the elder interrupted her.

"Oh, yes of course, let me show you to your rooms, like I mentioned before, we don't have much and we would appreciate it if you could do some labor around town as payment for your room and board," he trailed off as Ryss watched Raven, he was already headed to his zoid. The child flailing and shouting his objections, only to be ignored by his captor.

Ryss thumped her forehead with her fist. "Why does he do that?...How does he do that?" she held her hands out, as if asking some unknown entity for an answer.

The old man chuckled knowingly. "I'm guessing he does that often?"

Ryss looked at him, surprised he was still there, she wiped a hand over her face in embarrassment. "Does things without my consent?" she watched as he nodded. "Yeah, but it keeps life interesting to say the least," the blue orbed woman said as she watched Raven shake the kid, as if attempting to shut him up before finally tossing him into the cockpit and stepping in himself.

"Forgive my bluntness, but he isn't going to hurt him, is he? That boy is rather special to me, even if he is disrespectful, he's a really good child at heart."

Ryss shook her head and held a thin smile. "No, he won't hit him or anything, if that's what you meant. If anything Raven is only going to instill into him some humility."

The aged man nodded, satisfied with her answer. "Very good, shall we then? I'll show you around the colony and then you can decide where you want to stay."

Ryss looked back briefly, smiling inwardly at the thought of how much Raven had changed throughout the years, finally she turned back to follow her guide.

o-O-o-O-o

The ride was quite. Ever since he was tossed in the back of the cockpit, the boy kept still and made no sounds other than the rare noise of his random shifting on the cold metal floor.

"What's your name kid?" Raven asked, his voice calm and commanding as he kept his attention on the controls.

When he didn't get an answer, the maverick turned his head slightly, but refused to ask again. When they were far enough away, the Geno Breaker came to a halt as dust and sand whirled and blew by caused by the zoid's jets.

Raven kneeled, seized one of the boy's legs, and with a yelp, pulled him into grabbing range. "Dastard! Put me down!"

Raven obliged and dropped him unto the sand after descending with the lowering cable. The fading light dimmed suddenly, making the man appear darker than usual, as his stance included folded arms and a glare.

The boy was on his hands and knees as he hit the ground with a fist in annoyance. He then turned to scowl at his new "guardian". "Jerk!" he stood and shook a fist at the dark one. "Why did you bring me way out here?" he shouted and spread a hand to indicate the wilderness that surrounded them.

Raven said nothing, he merely continued to stare at the misbehaving boy.

A moment passed as he stared at the ground, his fists hung, shaking at his sides. "Sevlin, my name is Sevlin," he muttered finally.

Raven's expressions didn't change as he held his stance perfectly. "Shadow," he called. The organoid hovered down on command. He had been observing from atop his perch on the Geno Breaker.

The boy's mouth hung open as he laid eyes on the new zoid. "Fly that way until you see my signal, then stay there until I say so, got it?" Raven ordered, Shadow nodded and with a growl, he spread his wings and took off in the direction indicated. He landed when Raven lifted his hand. The shadowy dragon was a one inched figure in the distance, Sevlin concluded as Raven averted his attention back to him. "Go to him, run if you want, but you're making three rounds before we go back."

Sevlin's eyes widened as he gaped up at this man before him. "What!" his voice almost a squeak as he whined. "Are you kidding me? You can't make me do that!" When Raven didn't blink, Sevlin reviewed his options. The colony was nothing more than a small spec on the horizon. Not to mention, in a few minutes the sun would begin to clip the far of edge of the desert. Surely this guy wouldn't leave him out here, but he knew he'd be sleeping on the sand tonight if he didn't do as told. With a sigh, Sevlin hung his head and trudged onward to the shadow in the distance.

Raven fought the urge to smirk at that very moment. Oh how he loved to win, it was almost as if his very existence relied on that one small aspect in life.

Sevlin was jogging by the time he reached the checkpoint, he slowed to a walk, while panting he made his way around the metal dragon, he stared at Shadow, and Shadow at him, motionless other than his head following the boy's movements. Both examined each other with interest. When he was on his way back, he began to trot.

Upon reaching his starting point, Sevlin now noticed _another_ strange zoid, except this one was blue as it stood next to Raven, it was also taller than the last one. "Holy crap! How many of these things do you have!"

Raven blinked, his expression numb and empty as he looked at the boy's objective.

Sevlin was huffing as he bent over resting his hands on his knees. "Aww come on, you're not really gonna make me-"

"Look kid, I know you don't like me, but you know what? I don't care, and you're going to learn respect before anything else, got that?" the man inquired flatly.

Sevlin grumbled and started off again. Mumbling something about his own big mouth always getting him into trouble.

Specula hummed and took off casually, apparently Ryss had summoned her.

The next lap was uneventful as he was making good time, yet he wasn't pacing himself anymore. Halfway to Shadow on his last lap, he collapsed, he rested his head on the sandy ground, breathing heavily out of exhaustion.

Raven raised his hand and formed a command, causing Shadow to instantly blast off, he landed briefly above the boy, lifting him by the shirt with his jaws.

When Shadow set the boy in the cockpit, Raven was already in the seat as he leaned forward with a smirk on his face. "Ready to go back?"

The boy nodded tiredly and basically dozed off only half through the doorway of the cockpit.

Raven shook his head, somewhat in amazement as he pulled him in enough to be clear of the closing door.

o-O-o-O-o

It was almost past sunset when they got back. Ryss waited at the gate, propped against it, with Specula beside her, they watched as Raven dropped from the red Tyrant zoid, a red haired boy limp in his arms.

"Pulled the 'You run, I watch' stunt eh?" she greeted with a chuckle.

The maverick scoffed as he walked by, Ryss at his side as she examined the child in his arms. "He lasted longer than I thought he would," Raven replied, his voice as low and calm as hers. "I'm assuming you know where we're going," he said more as a question than a statement.

Ryss smiled softly and led the way. "It's just up ahead."

Without command, both organoids stayed with their larger counterparts, growling and humming about the boy. He doesn't come anywhere near Vega, Shadow hissed with contempt.

How do you know? You only just met him, Specula argued.

I just know, Shadow retorted and rose to his perch with only a few powerful flaps of his wings.

* * *

Ryss cupped her elbows and turned back to gaze out the window once more. She sighed, feeling depleted now more now then she could ever remember since Vega's birth. If that was even possible, she thought ruefully. This past week had been such a chaotic whirlwind of events. First Vega's ordeal, then that blasted death zoid, now this fiery haired boy with an attitude to match. But then maybe he was the _only_ event that was partially good out of it all. 

A creak in the floorboard next to her made Ryss flinch and snap her head to see Raven now standing beside her. "Are you sure you weren't trained in the art of ninjas?" she asked, startled.

Raven stared out the window, a far off gleam in his eyes. "They're here." he said, his voice even, as he went to pull his boots on.

"Who's here?" she asked quietly yet urgently.

Raven stood in the doorway and smiled mischievously at her. "Bandits."

Ryss shook her head and chuckled lightly. "Some things never change."

"It's about to get loud, keep an eye on the brat," the dark pilot told her before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Ryss rolled her eyes. "Jackass," she whispered a shout at him out the window, as the house they occupied was only one floor.

Raven turned his head to the side but not enough to glance at her. A smirk lined his features as he strode through the large colony. His destination, his bloody red zoid that was built for destruction.

* * *

AN: Yup that be a long'un. Hope I got them in character, it's been so long since I last wrote a chapter for this, but that's my fault...entirely my fault, and you know what? I took an experienced writer's advice and added a new character, Sevlin, I made him up entirely on my own, his name, everything about him, not like it was hard or anything, but it really DID cure my writers block...I think, I mean I hope it did...eh I'm going to shut up now. RR if you want. 


	17. A Bitter Betrayal

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zoids or any of its characters. I do own my original characters: Terra and Sevlin though. I also do NOT own the content used in the episode: The Capital Collapses.**

Authors Note: Ok nightfighter currently brought something to my attention, how old is Raven? And Reese also, but lets just work on Raven for now.

Raven: 27

Reese??

Note: If you don't care about how I got Raven's age then don't bother reading the explanation.

_Explanation:_ Here's a little history lesson for you, see if you can keep up. Ok first off, they never mention how old Raven actually is, but they do tell you Van's age in CC (Chaotic Century) and I'm guessing they're about the same age, since Van's dad said that once. So in CC Van is 17 which makes Raven 17 so when GF (Guardian Force) first started, Van said 'many years pass', well that doesn't help very much, so let's just take a guess and say they're 21, then I'd say about another year went by, maybe two, by the time GF ended but we'll just say one. So that brings us at 22 and that's when my story basically takes off. Then we tack on another five years at the chapter "Five years later" and we got Raven's age: 27 Yahoo! And Reese? Boy, I'm not sure I could tackle that one, there's nothing to go on, she has no past to speak of, but I'm assuming she's about the same age as Raven...

**Chapter Seventeen**

Raven loaded into his zoid with a purpose. He punched the desired buttons and controls to start up the giant mecha beast. Its eyes glowed, coupled with its awakening growl which echoed throughout the calm and quiet colony, startling and waking most the people, alerting them of the many distant clangs and crashes of large metal footsteps headed in their direction.

For the heavy sleepers, though, the noise only managed to rouse them slightly, among these was Sevlin as he shouted gibberish and leaped from the bed. "Oh come on Carol, you know better than to go sleepwalking through the boy's wing," he mumbled. Apparently he thought he was still at the orphanage, and regardless of what he just said, it seemed as though he had his own case of sleepwalking.

Ryss smirked as he started roaming and mumbling more gibberish, only this time in search of something. The zoidian walked over to him and led him to the restroom.

He came out, still sleepwalking but conscious enough to navigate his arms and legs. Ryss smiled softly at her charge, he was still more asleep than awake, she noticed, since he hadn't even regarded her with the slightest glance. Even when she placed a hand on his back to lead him back to the bedroom, he continued to face straight ahead, eyes half open and dazed.

o-O-o-O-o

Before Raven set off for battle he ordered to Specula, "stay here with the Krystal, if any get past me, you take them out, whatever you do, don't leave the gate unguarded. Shadow, let's go."

Specula hissed her agreement, while Shadow growled with excitement and spread his wings to follow.

Darkness spread out before him as he drew the Geno Breaker away from the colony. Before long Raven could see the glowing eyes of a Saber Fang among the lit cockpits of several command wolves, evidently following. As he examined the radar it appeared as though there were _too_ many units for the radar to pick up, they went off the screen. This meant that more were coming.

Raven smirked darkly and surged his zoid to its full speed. Causing the leading Saber Fang to fire a warning shot in surprise. Both zoids came to a halt, looking as though they were sizing each other up as both of their com links opened.

"You again, you're that devil woman's partner! You set us up!" said the Saber Fang pilot as his comrades ceased movement behind him.

Raven's eyes narrowed as his index finger twitched and clenched at the controls. "Shut up and start walking and I might let you leave with both your legs," the maverick replied, his voice dangerously calm.

"What? No chance, this is my way of getting revenge," the Saber pilot paused and raised an eyebrow, "what do you mean both? My zoid has four leg-"

"Your zoid has nothing to do with_ your_ stupidity," Raven answered, quickly cutting the offender off.

"You- you're morbid," he stated, taking his controls nervously.

Without a response, Raven shot the GB's right claw, slamming the Saber in the chest and knocking it into a sideways position. Raven soon followed up with the left claw which grappled the Saber's rear right leg. The leader struggled to jump away but in vain as Raven reeled him close and positioned the charged particle beam at the cockpit at point blank range. The man stared wide eyed at the collective particles that were about to claim his life when the dark pilot finally decided to reply, "some would say I'm insane too," his tone steady and casual as he opened the cockpit and brought a leg to the edge then lurching an arm over his knee, regardless of the CPG's rising energy level.

It was then that the man's comrades finally decided to back him up, Raven growled with annoyance and returned to his seat, taking the controls once more. Now he jerked the claws back and rammed into the Saber, striking it to the ground and standing on it as he released the powered beam on the army of Command Wolves, annihilating all that were in the line of fire, leaving only a ditch paved with melted metal, the rest of the battalion, on either side of the beam's range could only watch helplessly.

The leader fumbled out of his cockpit and fell backward to the ground as he watched in horror as yet _another_ one of his armies had been destroyed, or at least most of this one.

Raven leaped from his zoid and approached the leader steadily, a hard scowl lined his features as his shadow overcame the man on the ground. "Get up," he growled.

Now the man's hands trembled as he obeyed and regarded Raven with eyes filled with awe and a well earned fear.

Once the leader could defend himself Raven drove a blow to the gut, accompanied with a cuff to the face afterward, sending him back into the dirt. He didn't get up, nor did he try, beaten and unconscious this army's commander lay thoroughly thrashed.

Raven surrendered his presence and returned to his zoid without argument from the leader's remaining troops. "Some friends," murmuring to himself, he accessed all channeled com links. "You have two minutes to take your boss and get lost," he ordered.

Immediately, the wolves took off except for one which took up their beaten commander and followed soon after.

"It's finally happened Shadow."

The evil looking zoid hummed curiously.

"I've gotten soft," Raven growled and punched the controls toward the colony.

o-O-o-O-o

It was still very much night time when Raven returned to the colony, however very well lit. It was due to all the activity as he was greeted by all the colonists that were aware of his victory, all thanking and praising him with grateful cheering and the beginnings of a celebration it seemed. Even if it was the middle of the night, they didn't seem to care.

He finally managed to rid himself of the crowd after telling them that the bandits would more than likely be back, with greater forces next time, but this didn't seem to faze the people, as they continued to celebrate and prepare for a banquet.

Raven groaned inwardly, knowing full and well that he would have to attend, seeing as he would be their guest of honor, or their 'hero' which many had already referred to him as.

That was Van's title though, and it was not one that the Dark Maverick envied, because that's exactly what he was, a maverick, he had no interest in being a hero, these people just didn't seem to understand that being part of the Guardian Force was just a job, it wasn't like he would have helped the villagers simply out of the goodness of his heart, that concept was ludicrous, laughable even. But then, a lot had changed in the few years when he wasn't considered a menace to society, but yet still, would he really save a helpless village if there was absolutely no gain in it for him? Raven contemplated this as he shut the door behind him and made his way through their temporary living quarters.

When he came to the bedroom he stood in the open doorway and stared at the zoidian whom he had grown so attached. She sat in a chair next to the window with the moonlight making everything seem like a dream to him, that is until Ryss acknowledged him but said nothing for fear it might cause another sleepwalking hazard.

Raven wasn't entirely sure what her silence originated from but assumed it had something to do with the sleeping boy, and thought nothing more of the matter, instead he based his attention on his current dilemma, what was it that changed him so drastically? After all he used to be a cold, heartless, bloody, murderer. He wanted to say it was Shadow, and maybe a portion of is journey to repentance was his Organoid, but as hard as the zoid tried to get close to his master, he could never fill the gap between human and zoid.

Raven knew now that Shadow might have opened the door for him, but Ryss was the soothing, warm light on the side that coaxed him through it.

If she hadn't come when she did, to stand beside him in retaliation to Hiltz, then he never would have had to care for her when she came down with a fever and therefore she never would have took him to be reunited with Shadow. It all seemed to be too much of a coincidence, as if it was all meant to happen for some reason. Why did she arrive by his side when Hiltz decided to forsake his alliance with them?

Raven stepped forward quietly into the direct moonlight of the window as they both stared at each other in silence. The moon's cerulean illumination gave everything it touched a hint of blue hue.

As Raven watched her perfect blue combination of hair, eyes, and moonlight he began to replay the events of that fateful day, that day which changed his life forever.

O-Flash-Back-O

_A once thriving city, now lay decimated. Zoid corpses lay scattered among the rubble and near broken buildings. _

_Seemingly deserted, New Helic City, the capital of the republic was void of any life. Except for one part of the city, the South side. There, a blue monstrosity ravaged everything in sight, plowing through and over any zoids and buildings that stood before it. _

_One zoid after another stepped forward to thwart the monstrous scorpion, one Shield Liger even managed to negate its shield but was soon shot down only seconds before the Saber Fang preceding him._

_Now all that stood in the monster's way was two command wolves left over from the last of New Helic's Defense Forces. Both pilots, ready and willing to give their lives in battle as they watched the Death Stinger approach steadily._

_Right when their death seemed emanate, Raven entered the fray with an explosive entrance as he shot down the two soldiers, saving their lives when they would have been smashed or shot in the cockpit along with the Stinger's rampage. _

"_Out of the way!" The maverick commanded as the Geno Breaker landed swiftly and roared a battle cry at its overwhelming opponent._

"_Raven?" The Shield Liger pilot, Colonel Herman, uttered with confusion._

"_This is my fight so stay back!" Raven shouted and shot at the huge beast in vain._

"_What do you think you're doing?" Hiltz asked arrogantly._

"_No more!" The dark one barked and surged his zoid forward, only to stop short and dodge to the side in attempt to get closer as Hiltz fired down on him ruthlessly._

"_What finally happened to Shadow? Without him you're nothing. I doubt you can even set up a shield by yourself, never mind firing a charged particle beam."_

_Raven didn't reply but growled and charged the deadly zoid, this time finally making contact but even this proved to be a failure as the Death Stinger caught and pinned him between one of its many claws._

_The monster then slammed its forward claws into the sides of the Geno Breaker, knocking the remaining shield claw off and therefore discarded the disabled tyrant._

_The maverick dropped from his zoid when the cockpit burst open. That last attack did more than just totaling the Geno Breaker, his entire body felt torn and bruised from the impact and electro magnetic system freeze that exploded throughout the cockpit._

"_Raven, just what in the world were you thinking? You know the Dark Kiezer will be disappointed by your betrayal." Hiltz drawled in his self-conceited tone._

_Raven, finding it extremely difficult to recover from the electric shock, managed to kneel on one knee and look up at his executioner. This would be ok, he didn't mind this sort of death, this is what he wanted, death on a battlefield. Death to something he couldn't, nor anyone else, defeat. Yes this would be a death worthy of the warrior that he was. The murderer that he was, and now he would die by the hands of a murderer._

"_Of course you know how we punish betrayal. Goodbye." Was the red haired zoidian's judgement as he charged the Stinger's CPG._

_The maverick growled, gritting his teeth, knowing the forever silence that awaited him, when suddenly he heard a zoid approach from behind, he glanced back to see the cloned blue version of his zoid as it landed, opening its cockpit while Ryss stepped out._

"_And what are you doing out here Ryss? I don't remember calling for your assistance." Hiltz questioned with authority._

_The Blue Devil stepped forward to stand beside the Dark Maverick, neither seemed to acknowledge each other with a greater threat towering in front of them. "Are you saying you don't even need me anymore?"_

"_And to think, you didn't even have to get inside my mind to figure that out."_

_Ryss sighed, baffled almost, as she only just now realized fully that she had just been a pawn in all of this madness._

"_Bye Ryss. Thanks for ALL your help." Hiltz mocked with a smile plastered on his face that only the pain and suffering of others could bring._

_As the mighty beam launched, Raven growled with anticipation and painfully fought back the agony from the previous shock to his body. But then something more important crossed his mind, Ryss. She was being played as a puppet in all this chaos too, and it didn't appear as though she had any intention of getting out of the line of fire, she seemed dazed. _

_When the weapon of destruction struck the blue Geno Breaker, the ground beneath them shook with an intensity that made the planet seem like it was about to explode, therefore arousing Raven's protective instincts, he hadn't enough time to think through a plan of action. The beam was coming down fast. He reached and grabbed Ryss' wrist, pulled her to the ground, and ducked her head under his arm. You could say that was his version of "Hit the deck" except, there was no time for words, so he improvised._

O-End-Flash-Back-O

Yes, that was the day his view on respecting life changed. He had no more craving for terrorizing innocent people. He even found that his hatred of Zoids was meaningless, the only zoid he had ever been fond of was dead. Ryss was all he had left and she was ill. But he would not lose her as well. He helped her recover and valued her presence, even if he hadn't outwardly appeared relieved when she was up and well again. No that wouldn't have been his style.

Raven blinked and he was brought back to the present, standing before her. He seen the pain in her eyes, he seen the agony that she would never rid herself of, he seen the horrific replay of events of the past week, and finally, he seen the look on her face before she turned away from her son for the last time, all this he seen as he stood, observing her features.

Raven didn't know how long he stood there before he finally stepped forward to rest his hand on her cheek. "Ryss, I know there's nothing I can say to lessen your pain," he said quietly. "But I want to thank you," he paused as Ryss looked at him curiously. "For finding me when I was lost,"

Ryss blinked, almost baffled as she touched her hand to his. "Raven, you saved me, not the other way around," she said, her voice low as well.

"No Ryss, you're wrong. I was ready to accept death. Shadow was gone, there was nothing left for me. If you hadn't come when you did," Raven didn't finish, he knew Ryss had understood his meaning.

Sevlin began to stir and both of them looked to see if he would wake. He didn't but rolled and was un-moving again.

Raven breathed wearily as he observed the boy. He was still feeling both physically, but mostly, mentally exhausted from the week's heartbreaks and chaos. "I'll move him into the spare room," Raven crossed to the bed and easily lifted Sevlin's limp body. The boy didn't twitch as Raven started out of the room. He stopped in the doorway. "Ryss, you need to rest, promise me you'll try to sleep."

Ryss was dismayed for second, but nodded even though his back was turned. She moved to the bed as Raven disappeared momentarily. When he returned Ryss was asleep as he had urged.

o-O-o-O-o

-Raider's Headquarters-

Deep within a hidden underground base, a man with a bloodied lip kneeled before a raised platform where two shadowy figures towered over him. He prostrated himself and trembled in fear as they loomed over him in the large chamber. It was dark, so dark in fact, that the light from the only window served as a kind of spotlight. Convenient for the two figures, the light only beamed through onto the kneeling man and nothing else, which only added to his discomfort.

One of the dark figures, apparently seated in a chair upon the dais spoke, "what do you mean, "you lost"? I don't pay you to _lose_ Selile," the man growled with authority and scowled at the second figure standing beside him. "What do you make of this Zachaule? Surely it is no ordinary army that destroys two of my entire battalions without my knowing of it."

The one addressed as Zachaule moved his head and regarded the man with crimson eyes that shown brighter in the surrounding blackness. With a rolling hum he replied, "It matters not what I make of this, however, this was no army," he paused and looked to the soldier, "was it commander?" Zachaule inquired with a tilt of his metal head as his voice cracked in a piercing tone that fluctuated, as a radio might sound while being tuned in on a certain channel.

The commander, Selile, glanced up only to meet blood red eyes that seemed to gaze into his very soul. "S-sir, I mean, no Sir, this was only…," he gulped and shook nervously.

"Only _what_!" The man on the dais barked impatiently. "Spit it out man."

When Selile hesitated in answering Zachaule slammed a forearm on the ground. "Begone! I will inform him of which you cannot, I grow tired of your stuttering!" he snarled as the commander fumbled and scrambled out of the room as quickly as his legs would allow.

"Have you evolved so far as to read minds my friend?" the man asked, addressing Zachaule with interest.

The metal being scoffed and met the man's eyes. "Not at all my master, I am simply well informed. This 'army' is merely one man, one pilot, one zoid. Only _One_."

"WHAT? Who? What type of zoid? Explain."

"Please Master, let this not trouble you, I know this pilot, he is arrogant and yes, he is powerful, but he is still no match for me, now I suggest you veer from that colony, leave scouts in the area and have them report back when he leaves, then you may return to raiding it as you please, otherwise you will be losing your army faster than you can recruit soldiers."

"Zachaule, tell me, why could you not simply go there yourself and kill him?"

Zachaule huffed and brought his devilish eyes away from the man. "A previous oath Master, you understand, would you have me break my oath to you so easily?"

"Hm, no, but this still troubles me, however, I will heed your advise. I will position my men away from that colony, for now. Now then, on to other matters, how is the new weapon progressing?"

Zachaule growled with pleasure and stepped off the platform, into the dim lighting of the window above, revealing the deadly looking red spikes that erupted from his blue and black metal plates. "It is nearly complete."

-------------

AN: Ooook that has got to be the darkest chapter I've written thus far. Hmm maybe I've been reading to much Star Wars... Well at any rate I bet yer confused...Good, I've done my job, anyway I pretty much have the next few chapters planned out, but they could take me awhile to finish, I ask you all to be patient with me. Oh and it's doubtful they will be funny, so I'm wondering if I should change the secondary genre to angst? Tell me what you think. Thanks. Oh and if you are wondering how to pronounce Zachaule. It's Zah-Kay-You'll. Yup made it up myself, so no stealing! Anywho I hope you're still there nightfighter! I know it took me three months to update but I seriously have no time. Well Bye.


	18. Stronger

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zoids or any of its characters. I do own Terra, Sevlin, and Zachaule though.**

Authors Note: Wow it took me more than a year to get to chapter 18, eh well at least I'm still updating right? Oh and this is a really pathetic chapter compared to the last one but that one took me three months to finish so understandably it should have been a long chappy.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Raven awoke only a few hours after sunrise, he didn't feel very rested, but then, he didn't think he ever would, knowing his son was so far away and forever out of his reach. He moaned and sat up. Glancing around the room, he found that Ryss was nowhere in sight.

First he checked the spare room where Sevlin was still sleeping contentedly in bed. Raven decided to let the boy sleep. He left in search for Ryss, shutting the door behind him.

Outside people prepared food and drink busily. Everyone seemed to be in their own little world, Raven observed. He walked through town calmly, still on the lookout for the zoidian. Raven knew she was somewhere in the area, he assumed she simply wanted to be alone.

Finally, in the southwest corner of the colony, he found her in the town's small museum, it didn't appear to have anything of any importance, just odds and ends of old stone tablets and drawings.

Ryss stood before one of them, the largest one in the building it seemed. Raven approached and stood beside her. Ryss looked at him, and as hard as Raven tried to discern what she was thinking, he could not.

Ryss looked back at the tablet, attempting to piece together the meaning of the picture. There were pieces missing of course, but the biggest part of the artifact was still intact.

Raven's expression turned to worry, every time he looked at her, all he seen was the pain and misery that she was having to live with, her expression was almost always void of any happiness. It was almost like she had nothing to live for anymore. And it seemed that yesterday was when the reality of the situation finally hit her. Sure she knew Vega was never coming back, but she missed her son more and more, with every passing breath.

Raven turned to gaze at the tablet as well, he noted two large objects sketched in the stone, but it was nearly impossible to discern what they were. It was just another ancient drawing without any particular meaning behind it. "It simply tells the story of two powerful beings. One is always Evil. One is always Good."

Raven opened his mouth to speak but Ryss answered him before he could ask why she was here. "I needed time to think, this seemed like the only quiet place in town right now," she said, her previous statement already forgotten.

Raven's eyes furrowed with concern for her as she faced him and tried to smile but this only seemed to produce an ache in her throat that hindered her voice. "I'm- I am going to try," she swallowed, attempting to fight the choking pain back as she strained the words out. "Try to be happier. Happy for Vega, because he has a future and I know..." Ryss paused, closing her eyes and clenching her teeth as she turned her head to the side. "I know he will be happy, regardless if I'm in his life or not." Silent tears streamed her cheeks when she finished. She looked back at the maverick in front of her.

Raven's features held a soft expression as he stroked her cheeks briefly. "No more," he said, both as an order and a question at the same time.

Ryss shook her head. "Last time I promise," she said, rubbing her eyes.

They stood for awhile longer when suddenly, Specula charged in, she growled at her master, reporting what she knew.

Ryss nodded and turned to Raven. "She says there's a call on the Geno Breaker's communicator."

Raven growled irritably but started off toward his zoid. He knew what this was about.

o-O-o-O-o

-Raider's Headquarters-

"Very good my friend, I am impressed to say the least," the young man said, in the light of day his hair shown white and he appeared much younger, his clothes were refined and regal looking with many different shades of blue including a gold trim down the edge of his cape.

Zachaule chuckled gruffly in various twisted metal sounds. "I am pleased to hear it Master, I live to serve your noble intentions."

The man hummed curiously as he examined the giant war weapon. It was some sort of four legged beast, he wanted to say it was a liger but couldn't be sure, if it was a liger it had been drastically mutated. "So tell me Zachaule, can you make more?"

The deadly looking Organoid's eyes glowed momentarily. "Of course, I simply need the correct instruments."

"And those would be?"

"Empty vessels, preferable ligers because they are the easiest to control, but if you simply want chaotic destruction, then any zoid will work," Zachaule said.

"Hold on, did you say 'empty vessels'?" the man asked, confused.

Zachaule nodded his metal plated head slightly. "A zoid with its core removed, I fuze with the dead zoid and create a _new_ core, thus evolving it into a death machine." He regarded the massively altered Liger before him. "This is the result of a mutated Shield Liger. I warn you though, these zoids have a mind of their own and they do not take well to having a pilot direct their movements. You may risk it if you wish, but I cannot guarantee the pilot's safety, even ligers go berserk if they grow too _independent_."

The man nodded and contemplated for a moment.

"Master Daizen, I have urgent news!" a soldier shouted and knelt a good distance away.

"What is it then?" The white haired man turned and asked, annoyance in his voice.

"A Blade Liger, a blue one, it has attacked our Northeast base, what would you have me do, tell them to retreat to here, or fight?" The soldier asked, looking up for an answer.

Daizen faced him, a vexed look upon his features. "No, you will not have them retreat here, they would lead the enemy strait to us, idiot! Order them to fight, immediately!"

"R-right away sir," the soldier mumbled and flinched before taking off to deliver the new orders.

Zachaule stepped forward casually. "Shall I go test it out?"

Daizen's fists and teeth clamped. "Go ahead, I would like to see it in action."

Without another word, Zachaule started toward the hanger's gate. His eyes glowed red and almost instantly the black shaded liger powered up, following with an un-manned cockpit. _"The fool. He hasn't the smallest inkling who the REAL master is. Nonetheless, I will let him think what he wants until the time is right." _Zachaule thought to himself as he marched upward on the ramp leading out of the hidden underground base.

o-O-o-O-o

"I'll give it a month, no less Shubaltz," Raven said over the communicator.

Karl growled shortly. "Your orders were three, Lieutenant."

"And I _said_ one. If they come back after that, you can just send your "hero" to deal with it," Raven told him.

The colonel's expression turned to stone as he reached for the off button. "I'll be in touch," with that said, Karl beeped off the screen.

Raven pressed a control and the screen went dark as he leaped from his zoid.

Ryss waited for him bellow, her arms folded casually. "Did you brief him about the Organoid? Bit is in danger as well," she told him.

He nodded. "He said he would pass on the information, but Van is away on another mission at the moment. He also ordered us to stay here for three months to make sure the bandits were really gone," Raven said.

Ryss sighed. "And what did you tell him?"

"No."

"Can't argue with that," Ryss replied.

"We leave in a month," Raven told her.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they started back through town.

Raven's eyes narrowed. "Home."

"Home? But Why?" Ryss wondered. They hadn't been home for as long as she could remember, sure they stayed there after the war but with no money or supplies they were forced to travel and win money through battles.

"Because I want you to be comfortable during the next few months. We'll need to stock up on supplies before we leave," Raven answered.

Ryss nodded as they drew closer to their assigned living quarters. Suddenly the door creaked open and Sevlin stepped out and glanced at them, a look of anguish washed over his features. "Nope, didn't dream it," he muttered.

Raven crossed his arms in a 'well, well what do we have here?' manner. "Didn't dream what?" he asked as if it wasn't already apparent.

Sevlin lowered his gaze to the ground. "Nothing, do you care if I go talk to my friends O Great one?"

Raven scowled and Ryss covered her mouth to hide a smile. "You- Never mind, I don't care, do what you want," Raven growled. He suddenly liked the boy more when he was sleeping.

Sevlin took off, leaving a smirking Ryss and a very annoyed Raven behind. "You know he's only going to get worse when he hears about your battle last night," Ryss said.

Raven groaned. What did he get himself into?

* * *

AN: Heh, seems like I keep having to come up with new characters... Well this is how you pronounce Daizen Die-Zen

Easy enough right? And I pretty much already know what you're going to say about him, but please keep it to yourself(or email me) until I can build up the plot. It'll kinda ruin the moment if ya'll give it away in a review when I can at least surprise _some_ of my readers. Thanks.:)


	19. Lessons

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zoids or any of its characters. I do own Terra, Sevlin, Zachaule and Daizen though.**

Authors Note: Hey guys, I got chapter 19 up oh AND I uploaded a picture of Sevlin for everyone to see. I suggest you take a peek AFTER you read this chapter, it would make everything all the more sweeter. :) Oh and in answer to a question, the Krystal is the cloned version of Raven's Geno Breaker. It is Ryss' blue Geno Breaker and it is called the Krystal -or- "Phsycho" Geno Saurer. I prefer Krystal Geno Saurer though.

**Chapter Nineteen - Lessons**

_-Five months later_-

Raven went in search of his adopted son. The boy left that morning, he said he was going out to explore and look around for his own zoid, regardless of Raven's discouragements, telling him that most all the zoids left from the war had already been retrieved, but after being cooped up in a house for four months Sevlin was getting restless, he had been ripped away from his friends and his colony only a month after Raven and Ryss adopted him.

There was really nothing for him to do way out in the middle of nowhere like this, except maybe watch the Organoids fight once in awhile but that was rare, and although he wanted to play with them, he always wound up getting snipped by Shadow. And Specula just ignored him most the time. There were times when she would let him pet her but nothing more.

Ryss was beginning to reach her delivery date and Raven knew he needed to restock their supplies for the next three months. He had to find Sevlin before he left Ryss alone to fend for herself until he got back. He knew Ryss was capable of that but he still wanted to bring Sevlin back so that wouldn't have to be the case.

The maverick hadn't brought the Geno Breaker with him, he was searching on foot because he didn't think Sevlin would get very far, or dare to for that matter, but the boy _was_ bold, Raven had to give him that at least, not to mention a zoid wouldn't be able to fit through the dense forest Sevlin had disappeared in.

Raven passed tree after tree and rock after rock, this seemed so fruitless, but a hint of worry began in his mind, what if the boy got lost? Growing up in a colony couldn't possibly teach you anything about navigating through a maze like this, it would be so incredibly easy to get lost. Raven knew it would have been easier if the Organoids helped him but he didn't want to lessen Ryss' protection anymore than he already did.

After a few more minutes of walking, he ceased, an odd feeling crawled down his back, he was being watched. Walking over to a suspected tree, and leaning against it, he waited.

A leaf floated down, missing him by inches. He watched it thoughtfully as it softly touched the ground. He didn't look up but waited still.

Another minute passed by, he was in no rush, but the person in the tree squirmed restlessly and clumsily dropped from the branch he'd been sitting on. He landed hard on his back knocking the wind out of him. Ironically enough, this all took place right in front of Raven who was observing the entire display. He watched with a neutral expression as the boy fought to replenish his lungs with air. "Go on, say it. Tell me how stupid that was," Sevlin croaked.

"I would have assumed you could figure that out on your own," Raven replied calmly. He didn't blink as he watched the boy struggling to recover.

Sevlin's red hair had grown out, and with an attempt to tame it, he wore a head band in order to keep it out of his face. His attire had also been altered considerably, he had recently grown out of his old clothes, and with a lot of persuading on Ryss' part, Sevlin finally gave up his prideful hatred of the empire, enough so as to wear Raven's first uniform. It fit him almost too perfectly, Raven had noted, but was pleased nevertheless to see his old suit being put to use.

Sevlin moaned in anguish and irritation. "How did you know I was up there anyway?"

Raven regarded Sevlin placidly. "I could hear your breathing, but the birds gave you away, you scared them off before I got here."

Sevlin listened intently and gaped. "Woah, and just because of _that_ you knew exactly where I was?"

Raven closed his eyes in answer and pushed off from the trunk. "Come on, I need you to stay with Ryss until I get back."

Sevlin watched as Raven passed him up and started toward the house. "What? But where are you going?" He stood up and watched his guardian pause his strides.

"I'm leaving for supplies and I have a mission. I have to go complete the mission first, it should only take a day, but it's going to take longer to get supplies," Raven told him, still only half turned in his stance.

Sevlin scowled at the ground, eyes hard. "Let me come with you, I'd have a better chance at finding a zoid if I'm with you an-"

"No," Raven snapped and started forward again.

"Then I'm not coming back, I'll do it alone if I have to!" Sevlin shouted and took off at a run in the opposite direction.

Raven spun to see the boy sprinting away from him. He was not expecting that, now the boy really _was_ going to get lost. "Little twerp," Raven muttered but smirked, he knew he himself would have done the same thing at Sevlin's age. He gave the kid a head start and then gave chase.

The foliage was becoming thicker as the maverick was steadily gaining ground when suddenly, for some odd reason, the area that he was running through began to darken until the blackness consumed almost everything in front of him, he couldn't see Sevlin anymore.

Sevlin was running as fast as he could, he just wanted to get away. And since he had already started running from his guardian, he dreaded the man's fury, so understandably he really didn't want to be caught, knowing full well how painful Raven's vengeance would be at this point.

The red haired boy was so frightened of the consequences of his actions, that he didn't notice the surrounding darkness until it was too late. He saw the beast only a split second before stopping and sliding right underneath it.

For some reason there was a large hole in the canopy strait above, allowing an immense stream of light to shine through. But right now Sevlin wished he couldn't see what was towering over him. He gasped and froze as he stared into the eyes of his captor.

The metal monster growled low as it stared back at the boy, eyes shining a bloody red along with its outrageously long spikes emitting from its plates.

Sevlin was about to cry out when Raven surged through the thick underbrush. Zachaule looked up at him, he was not pinning the boy, just towering over him. But it was enough to enrage the maverick to the point of charging the cat-like zoid.

Zachaule leaped back effortlessly when Raven struck only wind. "Beat it _zoid_," he said calmly and stood between Zachaule and Sevlin.

Zachaule's growl grew into a more aggravated tone. "I did nothing to the whelp. I was merely observing him,"he explained.

Raven narrowed his eyes but never took them off Zachaule. "Sevlin, run, go home."

"But what about y-"

"Now!" Raven barked.

Sevlin stumbled back, a bit stunned but then obeyed and ran back the way he came.

Raven watched him go out of the corner of his eye. "What do you want? He's human, you have no right to be stalking him."

Zachaule huffed but turned his head arrogantly, as if he was _above_ having to explain himself."You forget your place,_ human_."

"I know my place, its where I choose to be, and I think it is _you_ who has forgotten. Zoids do not control the lives of humans, Zoids were created to _be_ controlled." Raven spat. "Now get lost, before Ryss senses you."

The zoid scoffed and allowed his fangs to extend to the ground in an arrogant manner. "It was a wise decision."

Raven growled, this zoid just wasn't getting the hint. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I speak of the boy. Your own offspring die so you took another's," Zachaule said. "Maybe it will be enough to heal her."

"Look Zoid, I told you to leave, and I grow tired of your riddles," Raven told him angrily.

"But of course Human, maybe we will continue this conversation... Another time," Zachaule said calmly as a dark aura overtook him and blasted up in a flash of black and blue through the gaping hole in the canopy above.

Raven watched with suspicion for a moment before finally turning and heading back home. He grit his teeth in irritation. The very presence of that zoid made his senses go haywire.

When he could see the two story house clearly he wasn't entirely sure if he should leave for his mission now. Not with that maniacal Organoid roaming around. But he would _have_ to. Ryss would be ok, the zoid wouldn't bother her... Yet.

Shadow landed swiftly beside his master, growling with questions as Sevlin stepped out of the house timidly. "He's gone Shadow, forget about it," Raven told his Organoid, getting a sulking growl out of him.

Raven stood in front of the boy, staring down at him until Sevlin had to look away in shame. "I'm sorry, I won't do that again," he muttered.

The maverick placed both hands on the boy's shoulders. "You obeyed me when it mattered most," Raven told him.

Sevlin looked up, relief spread through him. He expected a cuff to the head for what he did. But then, the two of them had an odd relationship. It was a relationship he was only just now getting used to, but he was also learning how to embrace it, he assumed Raven was going through the same process.

Suddenly, and without warning, Sevlin found himself pulled forward and then pushed downward by his shoulders where Raven had previously placed his hands. The maverick sidestepped, neatly out of the way as Sevlin nearly fell face first into the dirt but retained his balance and stumbled forward. "Lesson number 3, never let your enemy get behind you," Raven instructed as he circled the red head.

Sevlin stood strait and closed his eyes to calm himself. That was lesson 1, he only knew 1 through 9 so he expected today's training session to include lesson 10... If he got that far.

Sevlin's eyes opened, he watched keenly as Raven was directly in front of him, taunting him, however still circling. "Lesson 2, find your enemy's week point," Sevlin said and charged the maverick in the form of a tackle.

"If he has one," Raven told him masterfully after turning sharply and spun to dodge then followed up with a effortless thrust to Sevlin's back, this time sending him to the ground.

Sevlin growled, clenching dirt in his fists then stood and threw it at the ground in agitation. "Lesson 4, mind your temper," he said through barred teeth. That one tended to be his hardest lesson yet.

Ryss watched with amusement as the two sparred, it was the highlight of her day, although both Organoids found it equally amusing as well.

Time and time again Raven sent the kid to the dirt, they were at lesson 7 and the maverick was actually starting to enjoy himself when he suddenly remember what that Organoid said to him, "_Your own offspring die so you took another's,_" that was enough to make him miss a step, which gave Sevlin the perfect opening, he surged and slammed into the maverick holding nothing back and tackled Raven to the ground, therefore bringing the spar to a close.

Ryss looked at the scene, she seen Raven's hesitation. She knew about Zachaule's visit but she also knew something was up, she decided to wait until later to ask.

Sevlin laughed triumphantly and punched the man's shoulder. "I got you good, your dead."

Raven smirked and swatted at the boy's head playfully. "Well that's one for me, mind announcing how many times you've died?"

Sevlin frowned and rolled away to sit beside the man. "No," he murmured.

Raven caught sight of Ryss leaning in the doorway. He stood and went to her, running a hand through her hair as they spoke.

Sevlin remained where he was, he could hear them talking but couldn't make out the words, instead, he averted his attention to the two Organoids bickering near their larger zoid counterparts.

"He didn't say anything important, just his usual irritating puzzles," Raven said. "I don't think he's going to do anything, not until..." he didn't want to say, but his gaze betrayed him. By now Ryss' pregnant state was very much apparent since she was roughly only two months away from her due date.

Ryss sighed hopelessly and was about to reply when an excessive beep sounded from the Geno Breaker. Raven growled as he usually would when the noise came. He answered it and Karl shot on the screen. He looked desperate and worried. "The Blade Liger has been demolished," the colonel said this as though the entire planet was about to collapse.

Raven blinked but kept his expression, and voice, calm. "And Van?"

Karl shook his head. "I don't know, all I know is that the Liger is down, and the enemy keeps attacking."

"Send me the coordinates," Raven ordered, punching buttons and controls swiftly.

Karl nodded, just as calm, and sent them. "It isn't pretty out there, be ready." With that said the colonel blipped off the screen.

Raven leaned out of the cockpit, one arm held him at the edge as he looked to Ryss, still in the doorway. "I have to go, Van's liger is down, they don't know what's going on."

Ryss nodded but didn't move from her place. Sevlin stepped in front of the red zoid and Raven murmured to him, "Do this one thing for me and I'll see what I can do about your zoid problem."

The boy beamed and waited expectantly. "Take care of her while I'm gone," Raven said, glancing at Ryss before stepping back into his seat.

Sevlin nodded and saluted, not in a mocking manner but in respect as Raven had taught him. He mirrored the boy as the cockpit door hissed shut.

* * *

AN: Right well I hope you all know what's going on. First of all in chapter 18 it was implied that Van had to fight the new Liger that Zachaule created. Well I'm not gonna say what happened there, but just so there's no confusion, this chapter is five months later, therefore this is another battle altogether where the Blade Liger is totaled. All right, now if you don't understand something, let me know in a review or email me and I will either clear it up in the next chapter or email you back. Oh and don't forget to check out my picture of Sevlin! The link should be on my lookup. 


	20. Destruction

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zoids or any of its characters. I do own Terra, Sevlin, Zachaule and Daizen though.**

Authors Note: Have mercy on me, please, I know it's been forever since I updated, but as my defense, about a year ago I wrote up a really awesome future chapter for this, it was like a climax to the story and I was really proud of it, but for some unknown reason it got deleted or lost or something, I still have no clue, but after that I got really depressed knowing that I could never write it the same way, however, I am over that now and I decided to give this another go. Sigh; sadly there is no Raven/Ryss interaction in this chapter, but it should answer quite a few questions about what's happening with Van, the Blade Liger, and the mysterious new liger Zachaule created.

AtQ (Answers to Questions):

(1): Yes Raven met Zachaule in chapter 15, more toward the end though.

(2): No I wasn't planning on going through the "lessons" but I'll think about adding them in later chapters.

I'm also going to post all the Genre's since this story is taking such a huge curve, and I'm sure you'll agree with them.

**Genre:**

**Romance-Humor-Action/Adventure-Drama**

**Chapter Twenty - Destruction**

The scene was pale and lifeless. Smoke rose from heaps of metal which had once been Zoids. There they lay, smoldering and thoroughly destroyed.

Raven scanned the area. No Zoid was functional among the fiery battlefield. He dropped from his cockpit and began wandering on foot.

Each Zoid had been brutally maimed and left to melt. This damage had been done both by claws and fire. But how could any Zoid house a weapon with enough fire power to actually ignite metal? Sure a Charged Particle Beam was capable of that, but there were no traces of a CPG being used here. And there was another thing, why were all the Zoids ripped to shreds before hand? None of this was making any sense.

Finally, Raven found the Blade Liger, it wasn't on fire nor did ever appear to have been, although it was very badly damaged and there were countless cuts and tears at its middle body.

Raven approached and looked to see that Van was not in his cockpit. Another second and he heard the sound of metal moving slightly. He glanced to see Zeke rising slowing from the soft charred ground, weakly he burst his chest plates open, revealing an unconscious Van. The Hero collapsed unto the warm dirt.

Raven kneeled beside him and rolled him onto his back. "Give me a break, I know you're not dead yet," he told Van in his usual cold tone.

Van slowly opened his eyes a crack and tried to laugh. "Nice to see you too Raven," he replied and whined from the headache he'd acquired from the battle.

Raven ignored the hero's sarcasm and stood, staring into the darkness, as if assessing the location of the entity he could sense; it gave his body a familiar sting of unease, the same feeling he'd get when that cat-like Organoid was around. "What happened?" he asked after a moment of silence, which Van had honored since the look on Raven's face was, one not to be bothered.

Van winced and tried to sit up but this only produced another whine out of him as he returned to his previous position, laying his head on the ground. "What didn't happen? It was a nightmare. It didn't have cloaking but one moment it was right in front of me, and then the next it was either behind me or found a new target to shred, and then once it opened its victim up, it… it…" Van scowled at the vision in his memory and he found his chest clench, refusing to let him speak anymore of the matter.

"What exactly is 'It' and what did 'It' do?" Raven inquired harshly; he wasn't in the mood for stuttering.

Van took a deep breath to calm himself and closed his eyes as he let it out again. "It was a blur most the time, but it looked like a liger when I_ did_ get a glimpse of it."

"Ok," Raven drawled mockingly. "It was liger, anything else I should know before I leave you to certain death?"

Van began to chuckle but soon gasped at a new pain in his side.

"You better hurry, I don't think you have much time left," said the dark Maverick with a smirk.

Van nodded his head as best he could from the ground as he returned the half-smile. "As I was saying, it clawed and slashed at its target's torso until finally, when it reached…" Van felt his chest and throat clench again.

"Spit it out Van, what did it reach?"

"It devours their cores Raven," Van choked out through clenched teeth. "It opens them up and takes their core, then sets the vessel on fire. It is the definition of evil destruction," he finished.

Raven scoffed. "Yes, I'm sure there's a picture of it right next to the word 'evil' in the dictionary," he gave Van one last glance of humor before setting a serious expression on his face again, his attention aimed in the direction of his Zoid.

Van frowned. "More like your picture," he muttered, with little concern whether Raven heard him or not.

"Regardless," Raven said, not taking his eyes off of battlefield. "Why is it, the Blade Liger is still intact?"

"I," Van blinked, puzzled. "I don't know, it just stopped attacking after we went down, but it couldn't have been very long ago, otherwise Zeke would have healed me already."

"What?" Raven snapped; his suspicions were correct, the Zoid was still in the area. "I have to see this for myself."

Van nodded sorely. "Be on guard, there's something strange about that thing."

Raven didn't reply, but instead, with a sudden sense of urgency, broke into a sprint that left Van puzzled but too tired to wonder after him. The Hero let his eyes fall and made an attempt to rest. If anyone stood a chance against that thing, it was Raven.

When the Maverick reached his Zoid, he noticed Shadow had sensed the same thing and was standing guard atop the Geno Breaker.

As Raven loaded into the cockpit, Shadow simultaneously fused with the red dragon as if the Organoid had read his master's mind.

"This could be it for us Shadow… are you ready for that?"

Shadow growled scornfully at his master for even implying something like that. This caused Raven to smirk slightly as he started up his Zoid's command system. "Don't start with me Shadow, I don't feel like your sarcasm today."

Another growl from his Organoid brought on a sudden jerk to the Geno Breaker, a hint to stop talking and start fighting. "Whatever, just no heroics today, got it? I only want to get a good look at this thing. As much as it pains me to say this, we're not good enough to beat it." Raven forced the controls to regroup the Geno Breaker; positioning it in the direction he felt the enemy's presence.

Shadow moaned and hissed uneasily in reply. And Raven rolled his eyes. "Yes Shadow, that means we'll have to run, although outrunning a liger doesn't sound very possible."

An uneasy silence fell over the trio as pillars of smoke rose in every direction; they were, after all, in the middle of a graveyard of smoldering dead Zoids. Not only did this impair vision, but it also sent the sensors and scanners into malfunctions that would have liked to drive the Maverick insane with their incessant beeping. In the end this resulted with his sight being that of 20 feet ahead, after that there was only smoke filled darkness. The only thing he could rely on now was a feeling, a feeling of dread and complete hopelessness. But there was something else, he couldn't place it; it was too elusive. But it was _there_. And it told him that the dread and hopelessness was _coming_.

He blinked; the Geno Breaker took a step forward as soft ground molded around its metal claws. Its mechanical growl was coupled with its menacing glowing eyes as a reaction to Shadow's anticipation, which in turn was the result of Raven's own anxiety.

A shadow in the darkness; how could there be a shadow in the darkness if there wasn't any light? It didn't make any sense, it was a contradiction in terms, but nonetheless there it was, a black blotch in the thick darkness.

Raven gripped the controls tighter as a reflex while the shadow drew ever closer; it wouldn't take long before it was in full view.

---

Specula might not have taken much of a liking to Sevlin, but every once in awhile she took much pleasure in tormenting him. It seemed the boy found sparring with her more productive rather then just by himself. How else was he supposed to practice when Raven was gone?

Nonetheless he found it was quite a bit harder on his body when sparring with Specula; she had a bit of a bad habit of not holding back when she had a clear shot at him, not to mention it was her metal tail instead of Raven's punches or kicks, and those hurt bad enough as it was.

Time after time Specula tail whipped the boy to the ground, and time after time he kept getting back up. He was a hardy kid, that much was certain, but he had his limits, just like any other person.

Sevlin was at the point where his arms hung and his shoulders slouched out of exhaustion. Still, he continued to face off with the blue Organoid. Raven had told him, "Endurance is just as important as strength, you need to hone both." Thus lesson 9 was very simple: "Endurance comes from enduring."

Sevlin had therefore assumed sparring with Specula was his un-official endurance training.

After a moment, the boy had caught his breath and forced himself to ignore the soreness and pain he was feeling. He then took off from his stance. Specula didn't move an inch, she remained as a blue statue up until the very instant Sevlin was with reach, but instead of tail swiping as usual, she decided to tackle him with both feet, the same way a raptor would attack its prey, pinning him by the shoulders and Sevlin let out a yelp of pain rather than surprise. Apparently this was her way of saying enough is enough.

Specula quickly hopped off of the boy and promptly perched herself on the roof of the house.

"Are you ok?" Sevlin heard Ryss call from inside the house. She was leaning against the doorway with a rueful expression on her face; she had watched the whole thing, but it wasn't like she had anything better to do, it was extremely boring way out in the wilderness, which just so happened to be where they were located. "If you just asked me, I could have told her to go easier on you."

The boy mumbled something about being fine as he came to the doorway. "It's fine, I want to beat her at her best," he replied and made an attempt to grin but his split lip made him cringe and think otherwise.

Ryss smiled warmly at him and pushed off from the doorframe. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up; Raven will think I've been beating you." She chuckled and put her hand on the back of his head gently, mainly to lead him to the bedroom, but it was also reassuring to her that if she was to lose her balance, he would be there to steady her. The extra weight due to her swollen belly didn't set her off balance so much so that she couldn't walk on her own, but every once in awhile she would have random seizures from an unknown source and that would cause her to lose her balance to a terrible degree. The truth of the matter was, they weren't really from and unknown source, she knew it, and so did Raven. It was Zachaule, making his regular evaluations through Ryss' connection with him.

It unnerved Ryss, among other things, to think that Zachaule knew everything going on in her life, including her unborn child's. Not even Sevlin was safe anymore.

Sevlin frowned and grew silent for a moment; only when he helped Ryss sit down in a vacant recliner did he speak again. "Do you think," he started, staring at the ground sadly and Ryss nodded for him to continue. "Do you think he's ok, I mean, he's coming back to us right?"

Ryss warmed her expression as she softly stroked his bruised cheek. "Of course he will. You don't need to worry about Raven, besides, we need him too much," she told him, and Sevlin stifled a laugh but couldn't help but smile. "Now go get a wet rag and some ointment."

The boy nodded and disappeared from the room, leaving Ryss to question her own words, something didn't feel right. She sighed and gazed out the window to her left; the sun was setting and Raven wouldn't be back until tomorrow at best.

---

In an instant the shadow was gone, and Raven wasn't certain but he thought he saw it blur to the right; he quickly turned the Geno Breaker around, only to be met by two, other worldly red glowing eyes, it couldn't have been five feet away and its hissing only added to the haunting moment.

If Raven hadn't been trained to hide his emotions so well, he would have yelped or gasped, but he merely blinked when he met the Liger's crazed gaze.

Suddenly the Liger's hissing ceased and there was a momentary silence until a raspy, metal scraping, voice shattered the quiet. "Well, if this isn't surprising," Zachaule rumbled as the Liger backed away from the defensive Geno Breaker.

Raven growled as the Organoid landed on the ground from atop the Liger's head. "What are you doing here?" the Maverick spat after opening his cockpit.

Zachaule made a slight cant with his metal head. "Only cowards reason from the safety of their vessels," replied the Zoid.

Raven snarled and unclipped his seatbelt. "What do you want, and why are you controlling something that would cause such a massacre?" asked the dark man as he landed not ten feet away from the Lion sized metal cat.

Zachaule hummed a mild growl in irritation but remained calm. "I need not explain myself to you, however, I am pleased to know that we can continue our previous conversation," Zachaule said, his glowing eyes flashed as he finished, "_Human_."

"And I am pleased to say that this conversation is a waste of time," Raven retorted and finished similarly, "_Zoid_."

The malevolent Organoid snarled and stomped his forepaw into the soft dirt. "Enough! I have a name!"

Raven stared at him placidly. "Why should I honor yours if you do not honor mine?"

"Simple, you are a human and as such you do not deserve a title, but nonetheless, your point is tactful." Zachaule began to round the Maverick; all the while the deadly looking liger towering above didn't move an inch.

"What is it called?" Raven asked out of curiosity and Zachaule ceased his movements to follow the Human's gaze.

"It is called a Tainted Liger, evolved from a Shield Liger, by me. But it is relevant that you know that, for soon enough, there will be an army of them and they all answer to me, however, technically they belong to someone else, and he is planning an attack on the Republic. Perhaps you should go tell your little friend in the Blade Liger." The Organoid's eyes flashed again when Raven shot him a look mixed with both shock and anger. "This," Zachaule motioned his head to the dead battlefield, "was nothing compared to what's to come."

Raven stared at the ground in front of him as his teeth and fists clamped. "Why are you toying with us?"

"Toying?" Zachaule repeated as he blinked and in an instant the Tainted Liger dropped to a bowing position, lowering his head to the ground. "I wouldn't call it that; I'm giving you a chance to fight back, you should be thanking me," said he and proceeded to drag his long fangs in the warm dirt, and with one effortless leap, landed on the liger's head.

"It is a false hope you give us, it's not a 'chance' that you give us," Raven replied neutrally, watching the liger lift its head along with Zachaule.

"Call it what you will, _Raven_," said Zachaule, appearing to almost choke on the name. "My name is Zachaule, and you would do well to remember it. Perhaps if you run into the man I have spoken about, and give him my name, he may consider sparing the Zoidian wench and the human boy you've grown so attached to."

"The only time I plan to use your name would be in a sentence involving hell!" Raven barked. "And come to think of it, I prefer you go back to calling me Human!"

For the third time Zachaule's eyes flashed with amusement. "Very well," he said and with a small twitch of his metal plated head the liger hissed and roared with a pitch that almost made Raven drop to his knees and shield his ears, but he refused to show such a weakness and he merely scowled as he discerned what it sounded like. It was a cross between a liger and an eerie scream from either a woman or a child, Raven couldn't know for sure, but at that point he just wanted the fiendish shrill to stop.

Finally, relief came to the Maverick's ears and he was able to examine his surroundings without hindrance again. The Liger was gone, along with Zachaule. It was frightening, the speed of that Zoid. It wasn't normal, and things weren't looking too good for the good guys at the moment.

---

AN: Don't you just want to kill me? I hope you enjoyed it because I'm not sure when the next chap will be up. So anyway, I was wondering, does anyone have a clue at all what I have planned for the unborn child yet? I'm curious to know what people have in mind. But NEway if you have more questions feel free to let me know, all you gotta do is click that little blue button labeled "Go" and then tell me.:)


	21. What Binds Us All

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zoids or any of its characters. I do own Terra, Sevlin, Zachaule and Daizen though.**

**Chapter Twenty One – What Binds Us All**

After returning to the Blade Liger, Raven had Shadow heal the Blade Liger while Van managed to drop into the cockpit as Zeke tiredly perched himself on the Liger's head. "I appreciate the help Raven, thanks for not letting me die, oh and I'll make sure Karl sends you money," Van said humorously.

"You're no good to anyone dead, Flyhight, but you should know, things are about to get a lot worse," said Raven in all his seriousness as Shadow drew beside his master.

Van nodded sadly and moved his hand over the controls, causing the cockpit to clamp shut. A moment later and the Blade Liger leaped forward and began its long journey back to base.

What hope was left? If Van and an entire battalion couldn't defeat one single liger then how were they supposed to defeat a whole army of Tainted ligers? Not to mention Zachaule seemed to have some sort of absolute power over other Organoids. Nothing seemed to be working in their favor, nothing at all.

Raven watched the liger go until finally, getting a nudge from Shadow, blinked out of his thoughts. The Maverick waved a dismissive hand at his Organoid before lifting himself into his own cockpit. "Come on Shadow, there's nothing more we can do here," Raven said and Shadow growled in reply. "Let's go home."

---

"Let me go, I gotta help!" Bit exclaimed while tears rushed to his eyes as someone grabbed and restrained him.

"Hey, easy there Kid, what's the problem?" asked the soldier as he fumbled with his hold on the boy.

"My Dad's out there! I have to help him!" the blond replied as he continued to fight the soldier's grip.

"Bit Flyhight! Come here right now!" shouted the boy's hostile mother whilst she stormed toward him.

Bit panicked and quickly pulled himself out of the soldier's weekend grip and thus hid behind him. "Uh-Oh."

"Good day Ma'am, I found your son, I think he was planning on commandeering this Command Wolf and taking it for a run, I didn't think-" The soldier saluted but was cut off mid-sentence.

"Bit, you know better than that! Now your dad is out there in a very bad situation and the last thing I need is to have you out goofing around and getting hurt-"

"But Mom, Dad needs help! I can help him!" Bit whined pleadingly, which only seemed to produce a chuckle from the soldier and a scowl from Fiona.

The blond Zoidian sighed; children can come up with the most ridiculous perceptions. After a moment Fiona took Bit's hand, nearly dragging him along as she returned to the Central Control Room of the base. Little did she know that the Blade Liger was up and running again, (literally running) and on its way back with Van and, though exhausted, he was alive.

Zachaule's unofficial messenger was alive.

---

Raven trudged through the city, a nameless city as far as he was concerned. He had left Shadow and the Geno Breaker outside the town's entrance and entered the city's gates on foot, although it would have been faster if he just drove the Geno Breaker through town, seeing Raven's infamous red Tyrant would cause too much distress on the locals, even though Raven was in a mood that he nearly decided to do that just to see chaos for his own amusement. But he resisted the urge to terrorize people and set out to complete his unofficial mission, now all he had to do was get supplies and return home, and depending on how long it took to get supplies, he could be home sometime after sunset.

His first stop was the city's Zoid warehouse; if he couldn't bring his own Zoid into town, then he'd get a new one and load it up with supplies, but that was besides the fact that he had promised Sevlin a Zoid.

He stepped into the large building and, after noticing an old man behind a counter, approached him while flashing his Guardian Force badge. "I'll take the cheapest, fastest Zoid."

The old man eyed the badge quickly but held out his hand, demanding to see a closer look. "I'll need the ID number on there, oh and the only Zoid fitting that description is a Helkat in storage, otherwise all I got is a few Pteris' and a Dark Horn."

Raven nodded. "The Helkat then. When can I pick it up?"

The old man scrutinizes the dark Maverick for a second, but then jotted down on a piece of paper the number on Raven's badge and handed it back to him. "I don't know, but I'll see what I can do with an hour."

Raven growled slightly which made it sound more like a groan, but the shop keeper had already departed for the inner chambers of the warehouse and if he heard it, the Maverick's disapproval was ignored.

Raven grudgingly took his leave of the shop and proceeded to another one down the street, if nothing else he could get some other shopping done while the old man retrieved the Helkat.

---

Ryss seemed worried, Sevlin noted as he entered the room, a glass of water in his hand. "Should we send Specula to check on him?" he wondered aloud.

Ryss sat in a recliner near the only window in the room, the same window she had been staring through for the past three hours. She looked to see Sevlin approach and offer her the glass. "Thanks, she said. "No, I'm sure he's fine. But if he isn't back by tomorrow night, then maybe."

Sevlin nodded soberly while Ryss emptied the vessel and set it on a nearby desk. She glanced at Sevlin again and smiled warmly at him, he returned the gesture but his smile quickly faded as Ryss suddenly realized that his gaze was no longer directed at her but outside the window, behind her. No sooner did Ryss spin around to see Specula land and freeze into a pillar of stone, but also a swirl of wind and dust erupted and then subsided to reveal another Organoid, Zachaule, in all his malevolence.

"It's that Zoid, the one that Raven chased off!" Sevlin exclaimed and Ryss stood and started for the door.

"Stay here Sevlin, you're safer inside," she told him before stepping outside.

Sevlin opened his mouth to protest but she had already turned away from him. He would just have to be disobedient then. It was either disobey her, or go back on the agreement of taking care of her in Raven's absence, and he was certain this fell into the jurisdiction of that agreement.

"What do you want now?" snarled the blue haired Zoidian; it was bad enough he had to torment her through their link but now the very sight of him enraged her.

"It is astounding, such greetings, the number I accumulate is utterly enigmatic," said Zachaule, in a humorous yet dull tone as he held his head arrogantly while his teeth already began extending. "I decided to make this week's evaluation a personal visit. Hope you don't mind, although it really doesn't matter what you're thoughts are on the subject. Oh by the way, I didn't kill him, or his little playmate, I knew you were just dying to know," he finished, now his twin blades, (his teeth) made their respective indentions on the ground as he took very gradual steps forward.

Ryss didn't reply but narrowed her eyes as Zachaule's approach did not go unchecked. Since Ryss had focused all her attention on the Organoid before her, she was nothing but surprised when Sevlin darted in front of her, he stood in his stance and glared at Zachaule. "Back off! Go on, leave before I get mad!"

Zachaule ceased his movements mid step and tilted his head at the boy. "Oh look, it barks. I am curious, have you taught him anything else?"

Ryss blinked and was finally able to register the situation; the boy had put himself between her and danger, and however endearing that was, it was also foolish especially since the only restraint Zachaule seemed to have on humans was that he tended to show mercy on the ones he found worthy.

"Sevlin, get back in the house, he won't hurt me, but you..."

"No! I promised I'd take care of you while he was away, no matter what, I have to keep that promise!"

Ryss' bewildered expression quickly faded to that of compassion, however, her motherly instincts were told her compassion was not going to improve this situation much. "Specula!" she called, and surprisingly, the blue Organoid landed beside her master. _He unfroze her,_ Ryss thought suspisiously, but nonetheless mentally ordered Specula to take Sevlin.

Specula growled at Zachaule before she obeyed and grabbed the back of Sevlin's shirt and, much to the boy's disapproval, lifted him and jumped to the rooftop, she didn't bother to drop him knowing he would more than likely try to get back down again.

Ryss glanced up to be sure they were safe, relatively anyway, but quickly looked back to Zachaule. "Well? You've made your visit, now leave, you've already made a mess of things."

Zachaule scoffed; so much disrespect these days. "Very well, I just thought I'd let you know I've come to a decision, I will let you have a month with your child before I come to kill it, the abomination that it is, so you should be grateful toward my mercy."

"Your graciousness leaves me in awe," Ryss hissed with sarcasm. "but the end result is the same."

Zachaule seemed to have not heard her reply as he looked up with glowing eyes to the glowering boy on the roof, hopelessly hanging from Specula's teeth. "Be sure not to lose him, he's all you will have left when I'm through." And with that said, he was gone in a flash of blue and red.

Ryss sighed in relief as if she had been holding her breath the whole time. She waved her hand and soon enough Specula landed and dropped an angry Sevlin, whom promptly sunk to the ground, feeling completely useless.

Specula growled to her master saying something about _Brat_ and went to lay in the shade of a tree. Ryss smiled at her Organoid's grumbling and then set a hand on Sevlin's slouched shoulder sympathetically. "Sevlin, you have to understand, he could have killed you without a second thought, he _would_ have killed you without a second thought."

"That doesn't matter, at least I would have tried!" he snapped.

Ryss sighed again, but this time in exasperation. "He wasn't here to hurt me Sevlin, but he wouldn't care less about hurting you."

"But he _is_ going to hurt you! He's going to kill your baby, how is that not hurting you?" Sevlin wanted to know.

Ryss looked surprised; she wasn't expecting him to come to that conclusion. "Yes, yes he is. And I would honestly rather die than have that happen...again," she said, she wasn't looking at him anymore but instead her eyes had glazed and Sevlin thought she was about to cry. "But there is something that keeps me going, something that tells me to keep living day after day."

"What's that?" He asked earnestly.

"Hope."

---

It was nightfall as Raven set the Geno Breaker's controls on auto-pilot while Shadow fused with the newly acquired Helkat in order to pilot it home. "Be sure to wake me if something happens Shadow."

The black Organoid replied with growl and they were soon headed home with the new Helkat, now loaded with all the supplies Raven bought. Now it was time to sleep and if his calculations were right then they would be home by dawn the next day. And he was going to stay there. No more missions, not for a long time, and he would tear the blasted communicator out of the Geno Breaker's control panel if that's what it took in order to stay home and care for Ryss.

Not a moment of sleep had eased his mind and Shadow roared, then Raven heard a distressed voice on the communicator. He moaned, maybe now would be as good a time as any to rip it out. He sighed and opened the visual link to see a boy, not much older than Sevlin piloting a blue Command Wolf. "Please, please help! Syphern colony is under attack by bandits again, we need your help!"

_I must be losing my mind,_ he thought before making his reply. "Fine, I'll follow you." The boy nodded and terminated the link before taking off in the direction of the colony. Raven hesitated and turned his attention to Shadow. "Take it home Shadow, stay there until I come back." Shadow sounded his disapproval but obeyed regardless; he hated it when the three Organoid rules collided.

Organoid rule #1: Always obey Master.

Organoid rule #2: Always stay at Master's side.

Organoid rule #3: Protect Master.

In this case, rule #1 outweighed rule #2 but Shadow still didn't like it, since this particular situation completely voids rule #3. Perhaps he should read that Organoid manual again...

In the end, Raven got no sleep, he wasn't going home, and his Organoid wasn't with him. A less than perfect day on Planet Zi for this Maverick.

---

Okay, maybe he did get some sleep after all. Raven had dozed off on the way to the colony and luckily auto-pilot was set to take over. He woke up with a start, the cockpit jerked and explosions filled the air with smoke. He looked up to see the Command Wolf desperately fighting off the bandits and its pilot couldn't spare a moment to converse with Raven. "Blast! How many are there?" he asked, in a way One does not expect an answer.

Raven took control of the Geno Breaker and regrouped near the Command Wolf, both of them firing and taking hits from the enemy, whom hid in the cover of the smoke and dirt. Raven growled in annoyance. "Look Boy, I don't know your name, but pay attention to me and stay behind me no matter what, got it?"

The boy nodded, he was frightened and he didn't seem to know what he was doing. Raven growled again; this kid had no business on the battlefield.

Tapping buttons and flipping a number a switches, Raven initialized the CPG, the foot locks clamped to the earth, the stabilizer compartments flipped open, and finally the cannon extended from its station between the Geno Breaker's jaws, charging.

As the particals gathered, Raven looked again to the boy on the screen. "You move when I move, above all else stay behind me!"

The boy nodded again, his eyes wide with fear as his hands shook around the controls. Those were simple orders, just stay behind him.

As the Geno Breaker charged its ultimate weapon, both it and the Command Wolf continued to be bombarded by gun fire. The Wolf took a kneeling position while the Geno Breaker remained crouched, nearly ready to fire.

Raven gripped the controls; things were about to clear up very quickly. The beam of destruction was released and Raven jerked the controls, thus turning the Tyrant with its thrusters and as it turned, it took the beam with it, grazing and melting each and every Zoid it came into contact with, all the while the Wolf rounded on the Geno Breaker and kept out of reach of the deadly beam.

The smoke cleared soon after the beam had launched and whatever forces of the enemy was left, quickly retreated.

Raven stared at the wasted battlefield blankly; there was really no point in this, they would just come back later, with more forces next time.

"I can't thank you enough Sir," said the boy.

Raven didn't reply, unless it was considered a reply when he closed his eyes. He directed his Zoid homebound, and was seriously thinking about ripping the communicator of its circuits when he heard an earsplitting, terrified scream from the boy, Raven spun to see a Tainted Liger standing over the Wolf like a lion about to feast on its prey.

"No-!" Raven was too late, the Liger had already crushed the cockpit with its deadly paw. "No! He was just a kid!" he shouted and slammed his fists on the console.

The Liger roared its ghostly roar before proceeding to devour the Wolf's core. Raven's teeth clenched as he watched, both in respect of the boy's death, and in contemplation on whether to attack or not, he wanted to, desperately he wanted to, but the only thing awaiting him in that decision would be death.

Raven set his jaw in determination and again urged the Geno Breaker homeward; there was nothing he could do, and what good would he bring to the world even if he could destroy it, Zachaule said there was an entire army of those things waiting to be released.

He looked to the sky; the sun was above the mountains in the far off distance and, according to his calculations, Shadow would have been home an hour ago.

---

Sevlin stared in surprise and bewilderment up at the Helkat standing before him as Shadow defused and landed at the Zoid's front paws.

The boy couldn't speak, and apparently he had forgotten how to breath as well.

Shadow grumbled and growled his way over to a shady spot and curled up under a tree; he was not to be bothered and no one paid him any mind.

For Sevlin, it wasn't until Ryss came up from behind him and patted him on the back that he remembered how to breath, oh yeah, you have to suck in first.

"Well here's the new Zoid and Shadow, but where's the Geno Breaker, and more importantly, where's Raven?" Ryss wondered aloud.

"I dunno, but do you think it's mine?" Sevlin asked with naught but hopefulness in his eyes.

Ryss smiled and nodded. "Raven knows by now that, you don't show a boy a Zoid and not give it to him."

"Huzzah! I'll start practicing right now, maybe by the time he gets back I can at least get it to walk," said the boy, already in the cockpit and pushing random buttons, or at least they seemed like random buttons to Ryss, however, after a few seconds, the Helkat powered up and stood from its crouched position. "Wow, I got it to start," he stated, his tone blunt but surprised as he stared at the controls.

Ryss shook her head in both amazement and disbelief. _Boys and their Zoids,_ she mused and looked to find Specula standing on the roof. "Watch him will you?"

The blue Organoid hissed in compliance as Ryss went back into the house to make some kind of dinner out of what was left of their supplies, after a few hours of romping in his new Zoid, Sevlin was sure to be hungry, and that would be an understatement.

Outside, Sevlin was already in the process of making the Helkat walk, slowly, but walk nonetheless. "Yahoo! I'll have it galloping by the time he gets back!" he exclaimed to himself in all his happiness. And for Sevlin at that moment, nothing at all was wrong in the world.

Unbeknownst to him, everything would come crashing down in a matter of months. The final war to determine the survival of Planet Zi's inhabitants was getting closer. And few knew of it.

---

AN: Well I have the next chapter already started but there's no telling how long it will take me to finish, so again I ask for patience.(By the By, anyone like Zoids Genesis so far?)


	22. A Name

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zoids or any of its characters. I do own Terra, Sevlin, Zachaule and Daizen though.**

**Chapter Twenty Two – A Name  
**

_- About Two Months and One Week later - _

"He _did _say he'd give us a month..." Ryss offered sadly.

"That doesn't mean a thing; he could change his mind in an instant, and you and I both know it," Raven replied bluntly.

A week past, Raven and Ryss had decided to move to the closest town, temporarily, both for Ryss' comfort, and Raven's nerves, with the simple fact that the doctors knew what they were doing when it finally did come time for her delivery.

The two day old baby's face contorted and suddenly started crying due to Raven's unpleasant tone. The Maverick's face soured. "I remember that sound too well."

Ryss lay in a hospital bed, cradling the small child while Sevlin sat in a chair right next to the bed, trying desperately to cheer the newborn up. "Come on, you just have to talk nicely to her," Sevlin stated.

Ryss chuckled lightly as the baby girl ceased with her whimpers and began cooing. "Yeah, speak "nicely" Raven, you remember how to do that, don't you?"

Raven grumbled something inaudible and remained in his place by the only window in the room. "Say, have you even held her yet? I mean I have, and I'm not even related to her," Sevlin asked innocently; he couldn't figure out for the life of him why Raven didn't want to hold his baby girl, it didn't make the least bit of sense to him, didn't father's naturally love their children?

Raven again made no reply, but a heavy pang of remorse set itself on his face as he turned to stare out the window.

Sevlin frowned when he didn't get a reply, but quickly looked back to the baby and smiled again. "So what are you going to name her?" he asked Ryss, now knowing Raven wasn't in a talkative mood.

Ryss smiled back. "Well I thought-"

"Ryss," Raven cut in. "If you name her, it will only be that much harder to let her go when we take her to the Dr. in the Republic."

Ryss' smile quickly faded and the baby must have caught the bad vibe because she immediately started crying again.

"Aw, now see what you did?" Sevlin whined; he had already grown quite attached to the baby girl and he didn't like to see her cry. Why Raven kept causing problems, Sevlin didn't know, and frankly didn't care, all he cared about was keeping the child happy and entertained, if a two day old baby could _be_ entertained that is.

"That's nothing compared to what a certain Organoid has planned for her," Raven stated brutally and he cringed at the sting of his own words; he didn't know why he was being so negative, all he really did know was that if he truly embraced the fact that he was a father again, then the pain would surely kill him this time.

"Raven, please, just stop, just let me be happy for the short time I can be," Ryss pleaded, tears already betrayed her stubborn eyes.

Raven caught and held her eyes with his, a secret message seemed to pass between them and finally, after a tense moment, Raven complied and without a word left the room; it hurt him too much to be in the same room of his newborn daughter, whom he refused to hold.

He shut the door behind him and headed down the hallway of the hospital, nurses and doctors alike passed by him as they went to tend to other patients. But Raven did not notice them, his eyes were aimed at the floor in a scowl, his chest ached as if he could hardly breath; it was unbearable, if it wasn't for Ryss he might just go out and commit certain suicide by fighting a Tainted Liger! He quickly shook his head of the thought and placed his hand on his tense forehead; that was the easy way out of this mess, a coward's action.

He looked up and noticed he was approaching the front doors of the building; maybe just some fresh air would clear his mind.

The moment he stepped outside and met the morning's breeze, Shadow approached him and growled his inquiry. Raven absently stroked a hand over Shadow's snout as he walked right by his partner in battle and set his course on a lonely empty bench inside the hospital's courtyard.

Shadow grumbled in reply but nonetheless followed, and curled himself on the grass beside the bench where his master now sat, thinking.

Thoughts passed and minutes blew by with the breeze as Raven scolded himself about ever getting caught up in something so complicated as love, if he would have just let Hiltz kill the both of them, he would have never gotten involved with Ryss and he wouldn't have to be living with his mistakes and punishments. But was that really what he wanted? To have died a warrior and never known that there was actually someone in the world that cared about him? He didn't know what to think, all he knew was that he would never have a normal life, a normal family, but that was just it, he wasn't normal nor was his wife normal, she was one of the only two known Zoidians on the planet, how was that considered normal?

In the end Raven never really got the chance to finish his reasoning on the matter and ultimately gave up when Shadow hummed a warning and Sevlin appeared and took a seat next to the Maverick on the bench. "So, can I ask why you don't want to know your own daughter?"

"Yes you can," Raven replied simply after acknowledging the boy.

Sevlin, a bit confused, blinked at him momentarily before he finally understood. "So I can ask, but you won't answer," he offered.

Raven didn't twitch as he stared off into nothingness; he wasn't exactly in the best mood to be explaining things, especially touchy subjects such as this.

An awkward moment seemed to pass for Sevlin; Raven was ignoring him, he only did that when something serious was happening or when the Maverick was in a bad mood, and sometimes the two reasons played hand in hand and Sevlin guessed that this was one of those times. The boy frowned and hung his head as he set his sight to the ground; he didn't want Raven mad at him, he was only trying to help.

When Raven looked as though he was about to speak, Shadow erupted in roars and growls of all sorts as he launched himself from his sleeping position. "Shadow?" Raven shouted and was halfway standing when a familiar dark whirlwind of blue and red landed in the middle of the courtyard. Even before the wind faded, Shadow had charged it with a rage even Raven didn't realize the Organoid was housing.

Surprising enough, the black dragon had managed to reach the base of the typhoon but was promptly frozen into a gray pillar of stone, and luckily for Shadow, the cause of the wind had mercifully enough, caught him with the crook of his fore paw and firmly planted him on the ground without damage. "You should keep a leash on him, for fear he bites the wrong adversary," was Zachaule's opening sentence as he steadily stepped forward and away from the dying whirlwind.

"No, I think he had the right idea," Raven growled in reply. "I don't have to guess why you're here."

Zachaule inclined his head to the side and narrowed his eyes in amusement. "Nor do I need ask why you are not with the newborn."

Raven's body tensed with anxiety; could this Zoid really be that wise? Could it really know why he wasn't with the baby and it's mother? _"That's ridiculous!" _he told himself as his fists clenched, as they usually would whenever Zachaule was present. "You know nothing about me Zoid!" Raven snarled. "And if you came here to murder an innocent child, then hurry up and get on with it, but you'll have to kill me first to do it, because I don't care to live in a world where a Zoid executes judgment anymore!"

The cat-like Organoid exhaled a chuckle but allowed a few seconds to pass before making his reply. "Well now, haven't we thought long and hard on the meaning and celestial elements of the universe?" he drawled as if he was praising a young child. "I had not planned on eliminating the child for a month, so I will stand by my word, however, if you wish for a short life, I will grant it."

"You can keep your ancient babbling, if you haven't come here to do anything than you can leave," Raven retorted curtly. "You've done enough damage for one lifetime, and countless others."

Zachaule hummed irritably at the Maverick's reply; he was feeling a bit vexed by the progress of his visit. "That is true, many lives have been destroyed by me, however, it is because of me that this planet is not overrun by those walking plagues."

"One of those walking plagues is my son! He has a right to live just as much as anyone else!" Raven roared furiously; this subject had been like an old wound that had only begun to heal, and now it was being ripped open again.

Sevlin remained in the background but could hear everything that was said very clearly, and after hearing Raven's latest comment, he couldn't help but wonder what Raven meant, did he have a son before? Or was he talking about Sevlin himself? That was hardly a possibility, but if Raven did have a son, where was he? Did this Zoid kill him for some reason? Nothing was making any sense to him, but he dared not ask now, in fact, he was hoping the Zoid hadn't even noticed him yet, but it wasn't to be, he soon realized.

Zachaule humphed at Raven's comment and shifted his head to gaze at the boy menacingly. "Has the right as much as anyone, you say? Would you have me then take the boy's life to even it out?" he asked in a taunting manner.

"You leave him out of this!" Raven demanded angrily.

They were definitely talking about something beyond himself, Sevlin concluded as his feet involuntary began taking very slow steps backward; he suddenly remembered how frightening this Zoid looked up close, and for some reason he hadn't been afraid when he attempted to protect Ryss, but now his courage had left him, and he was desperately trying to get it back.

"Hm, as you wish, I will leave you to wallow in your suffering, this visit served merely as a reminder; you have exactly 28 days to say goodbye. Permanently." With those last words, Zachaule was gone as fast as he had appeared amidst the wind and flashing light.

Shadow was released and fell into a heap on the grass, growling and muttering curses in Organoid language.

Raven sighed, and allowed himself to release a breath that he had restrained for moments unknown. He stared at the ground, unable to decide what was better, a timely death, or an honorable suicide; both seemed like very good options at the moment.

"Is- is it gone?" Sevlin wondered, but dared not move until Raven announced it safe to do so.

The Maverick looked to the boy and nodded calmly. "He's gone. For now," he said and sat back down on the bench. "I guess you should know what's going on, because very soon, things are going to take a turn for the worst. Within a matter of weeks war will more than likely break out again, after that Zachaule, the Organoid that was just here, will come to kill-"

"The baby," Sevlin gasped; it wasn't very hard for him to put two and two together in order to piece apart their conversation. "He wants to kill her."

Raven's face faded from serious to grieved as he soon dropped his gaze of the boy beside him, and, exhaling a painful breath, he nodded slowly. "A long story short, Zachaule wanted to kill our son, but we froze him and Zachaule can't find him, but now he's out to kill her, and that's why-"

"You don't want Ryss to name her," Sevlin said. "Because you have to do the same thing that you did to-"

"Vega, his name was-" Raven paused and quickly corrected himself. "IS, his name _is_ Vega."

"And that's also why you don't want to hold her, isn't it? It's not because you don't love her right?" Sevlin pleaded desperately; so badly he wanted to be right, that a father would naturally love his children no matter the circumstances.

Raven sighed irritably; sometimes it seemed like Sevlin was more questions than worth. But he soon let the agitation pass as he ruffled the boy's hair. "Of course I love her, you Knuckle head. Now go practice with your Helkat and leave me alone for awhile."

Sevlin smiled at Raven's answer and leaped over the bench toward the Zoids. "Yes Sir, don't forget, last week you promised me a match once I figured out how to work the cloaking, and I did that yesterday."

Raven waved a hand but didn't bother to turn his head to look at the boy. "Whatever, later today, just go," he shooed him off and added, "go with him Shadow."

The black Organoid hissed distastefully but complied nonetheless and trudged after the boy. He would be in a gloomy mood for the rest of the day now and simply because all he wanted in his small Organoid life, was to have a fair match with that blasted so-called cat that calls himself an Organoid! Was that so much to ask?

Raven ignored his Zoid partner's grumbles and was able to focus his thoughts back on the problem at hand; Zachaule was definitely a master at demolishing a perfectly miserable day.

"_Just let me be happy while I can,"_ Ryss' words echoed in his mind. It wasn't exactly a difficult request to bestow, however, it's what was included that made it a problem. A name would lead to attachment, Attachment would lead to the child's death, Death would lead to regret. It had to be the hardest decision he had ever come up against, since at the moment, that was exactly what he was feeling, Regret, because he wouldn't allow Ryss to name even her own baby. But who was he to forbid her of something like that? And what had changed? A year ago he wouldn't have given up all hope, he would have went down fighting!

Raven stood from the bench, a new purpose boiled within his being. _"He had me scared, he had me running from the idea of ever fighting back...No, he had me right where he wanted me, in his control, that's how he knew I didn't want anything to do with her!"_ he thought, and severely scolded himself for ever playing into that monster's grip. Well, that was about to change.

The Dark Maverick marched back through the hospital building and entered Ryss' assigned room; not much had changed except for Sevlin's absence. "Raven?" Ryss questioned; after he had left in a such a huff, she hadn't expected to see him back for some time now, or in such a proud posture.

Raven pulled a chair near the bed and scrutinizing her curiously. "Is this really what you want, regardless of the pain that is inevitable?"

Ryss chuckled some as she looked down at the, now sleeping, baby girl in her arms. "Now you're starting to sound like Zachaule," she said quietly so as not to disturb the child and turned back to her husband, her face straightened as she answered, "yes, it is."

Raven sighed exasperatedly and averted his eyes to the floor momentarily. "Fine. I know you already picked a name, so what is it?"

Ryss smiled and stroked the baby's forehead. "Sarah," she whispered.

---

AN: Bwahaha...ha...Okay tell the truth, who called it, and when? Come on readers, some of you had to of seen that coming! If you still don't see the conection then you must not have watched New Century Zero! Sarah is like, the spitting image of Ryss! But I'm sure there is still some confused people so you'll just have to wait for the next chapter.


	23. Attachment

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: Ok, here's how it's going down, if I owned Zoids, I would have aired the new season in English ALREADY! But alas here I am writing fanfiction about the first season because they didn't put enough Raven and Ryss in it! (snarl) Anyway, as I said before, I do not own Zoids.**

AN: I have many excuses for the delay of this chapter, but I'd rather not bore you, so just read on.

**Chapter Twenty Three – Attachment**

_- A few weeks later -_

"Just hold her for a few minutes Raven, please, I'm only asking for a few minutes to myself," Ryss demanded and held the cooing baby out to its father.

The Maverick's arms were crossed as he looked at the child and its mother placidly in dull contemplation. "Only a few minutes," he complied begrudgingly and took Sarah into his arms. He didn't take his eyes off of Ryss, however, nor did he lose the scowl on his face even as she smiled and left the two alone to go wash up in the river not too far from camp.

"Send Specula if something happens," she called and Raven nodded before she disappeared through the forest's foliage.

Raven moaned once he knew he was alone, besides the child in his arms that is. He sat down in front of their morning campfire, cradling Sarah but still refusing to look at her. Instead he glanced in the direction of Sevlin's Helkat as it pounced and leaped, slashing and pawing after a small black dot, or at least, it looked like a black dot from far away, it was really just Shadow acting as a part of Raven's training regimen for the boy; If Sevlin could catch or hit Shadow, or even if he couldn't, either way it was bound to help his accuracy when fighting actual Zoids.

As Raven watched the Zoid in the distance, Sarah began making her usual bubbling and cooing noises, indicating she wasn't sad nor happy, but more along the lines of bored; so her noisy activities were more like entertainment than anything else, or so Raven thought as he looked down at her momentarily.

This was the first time he had actually looked at her, really just looked at _her_, ever since she was born no more than three weeks ago. He was always either looking at Ryss or Sevlin whomever would be holding her, and Sarah would just be something there, as if she were a package or a bag. It had been too painful for him to even look at her, as if she would be poison to his eyes if he dared to focus on her.

Sarah giggled and reached up with her wobbly hand in an impossible attempt to touch her father's face. When she was unable to make contact, she didn't give up but instead kept extending her fingers in hopes of somehow prevailing; besides, how was she to know her arms wouldn't reach?

Raven scowled painfully as the inevitable heartache hit him full force; he had made the mistake of looking. That was mistake number two today, the first one was even agreeing to this deal. As he watched her continued attempts, and failures alike, he managed to tear his gaze away from her; he wouldn't give in to something so simple as this, he would gain control over his aching throat as rushing memories of Vega came back to his mind. Everything reminded him of Vega now, and it wasn't only the pain of knowing he would never see his son again, but also knowing Sarah would soon have the same fate, those two combined made it unbearable to see the child in his arms so happy, so full of life; it signified the fact that he would not share in her childhood, that someone else would have that privilege.

But then again, maybe being happy was a good thing, and Raven had to agree since Sarah's cooing stopped and when he glanced down, her face soured as she squirmed uneasily in the Maverick's arms. Perhaps Sevlin was right when he thought baby's could sense bad vibes; either way Sarah started in with, surprisingly, small, short sobs as her hand was still in the air grasping for contact.

Raven growled in slight annoyance but nonetheless lifted her high enough so her fingers could touch his face. After a moment Sarah's sobbing decreased dramatically and her features returned to normal as she squeaked in amusement.

As the two shared in a few quiet moments of contentment, Specula observed from above; her job was surveillance, over pretty much everything, Raven and Sarah, Sevlin and Shadow, and the surrounding area for any possible enemies. However she was finding a curious interest in watching Raven; after all, he had been acting peculiar the whole past week, and it couldn't hurt to be cautious, thought the blue Organoid.

When Ryss finally did return, Raven was sitting quietly in front of the fire, his back to her as she approached sceptically. Apparently Raven and child had found a mutual agreement, ie: Sarah fell asleep somewhere between the pair's quiet moment and presently. "That was more than a few minutes," Raven hissed at her as she knelt beside him in bewilderment.

"You- you got her to go to sleep," Ryss whispered, astonished and pointing as she ignored his annoyed statement.

Raven glanced from Sarah to Ryss, eyebrow raised as he answered, "Yeah... so?"

"Nothing, it's just, she won't go to sleep for Sevlin, only me, and well... You got her to on the first try,"

Raven scrutinized his wife cautiously before making his reply. "Don't think I'm getting attached, because I'm not," he told her simply as he carefully gave the child back to its mother.

Ryss didn't reply but instead smiled silently, amused, as she set herself beside him. Momentary happiness was what she had asked for. Inevitable suffering is what she was going to get.

_---_

It was only high pitched static, it wasn't anything to blink at, however, Raven was determined to find a pattern in the frequency as he sat in the cockpit of his Geno Breaker and listened intently to the comm link; he was certain something was disrupting communications, and even the Zoids were on the blink, similar to the effects of the rarehurts but not near as bad. After a couple hours of concentrating on static and screeching, he decided it was a waste of time and dejectedly dropped from his cockpit; wasted time hadn't meant much to him for awhile now, there was too many other things to be concerned about besides time.

As he approached Ryss and Sevlin by the fire, Raven right away noticed Shadow, he was pacing nervously on the borders of camp. Raven narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his Organoid and as he came to the side of Ryss, he immediately shot his gaze to Sarah, whom happened to be in Sevlin's arms and cooing happily.

Ryss automatically turned to look at him in question. "Raven? What's wrong, did you find anything on the comm link?"

Raven barely had time to look from Sarah to his wife before an explosion erupted and covered the area around Shadow with sand and smoke. "Shadow!" Raven barked only seconds before Specula took off from her perch on the blue Geno Breaker.

Shadow's snarling could be heard as the smoke cleared, he was being pinned by one metal paw at the neck, and as Specula charged his subduer she was simply flung by another clawed limb and sent flying. "I am growing _ever_ tired of these attempts to take me. Would it not be easier to stand and watch? The same outcome would surely remain," Zachaule's voice minced the air as he hissed, stepped off the newly frozen Shadow, and approached the group in a nonchalant manner; after all, he had little to fear from a few humans plus Zoidian.

Raven took the front as he usually would, somewhat blocking the view to Sevlin and Ryss. Zachaule growled and looked away in annoyance. "Oh, yes, I wasn't expecting that," he growled sarcastically and, with lightning speed, appeared at Raven's side and rammed him a good ten feet away, screams and shouts alike were sounded by the two onlookers. "I have come merely as a reminder for fear you grow unappreciative of the time you yet have remaining," Zachaule droned.

As Raven skidded to a stop on the ground he struggled to a standing position while nursing his side with one hand where he guessed at least one rib had been broken. "And what would that be?" he growled through the ripping pain.

The metal cat glanced at Raven but returned his glare to the Zoidian, whose face was now only inches away from his own. His devilish, red, glowing eyes seemed to pierce her soul as he stood, motionless before her, while Sarah was all the while in striking distance. Ryss' urge to protect her child was growing each and every second, and she was about to do something, not entirely sure _what _exactly, but anything would be better than just standing there.

Thankfully, she never got the chance to do anything, Zachaule simply turned from her and took very solid, heavy steps towards Raven, who was still struggling to merely remain standing; Zachaule had struck his chest and he had landed on his ribs, so the Maverick was suffering from both a broken rib and lack of air. "Six days," said the evil Organoid. He ceased movement when he came to the man and simply glared at him, Raven likewise stared back, a hand resting at his tender ribs. A silent contest seemed to pass and without warning, Zachaule slammed a fore paw to the Maverick's chest and thrust him to the ground once more, only this time his metal paw remained, forcing even more pressure upon Raven's burning lungs. He couldn't restrain a howl of agony as the Organoid's claws began digging into his flesh. "I should just release you from your hellish prison now, I will end up doing it before the week is up anyway," Zachaule hissed with hatred, but finally stepped off the suffering man. "Alas, you would be the one I found worthy, your life is so pathetically ironic, I almost feel sorry for you, _Human_."

With that he yet again vanished among flashes of red and blue. Ryss was cradling the Maverick's head only seconds after Zachaule's departure, tears now streamed freely down her cheeks as she rested her head on his, unknowing of what to do or who to turn to for help; they were out in the middle of nowhere, and with only six days to prepare, how could they possibly stand a chance?

"You know, I think he's getting more aggressive," Raven coughed in a laughing manner as he slowly brought his hand up to stroke Ryss' hair to comfort her while she sobbed. He soon looked to see Sevlin approach with a wailing Sarah in his arms, there he stood, almost dazed and unsure of what action he should take.

"Sevlin," Raven rasped horribly and winced at the intense pain in his lungs and throat before continuing. "Get the Zoids ready, we're leaving."

Sevlin's face brightened; this had to be the first time Raven had actually trusted him with something important. The boy looked to the two Organoids as they were both still recovering from the stoning affects of Zachaule. Sevlin quickly gave Sarah back to Ryss, whom still hadn't recovered from her sobbing, but nevertheless complied and took the crying child.

Now with his hands free, Sevlin was capable of moving the Zoids into formation. First he gave the Organoids their orders to move their larger counterparts closer. Specula obeyed immediately, but Shadow, well he wasn't in the best of moods after being frozen for the umpteenth time, so he hesitated a bit, but soon noticed the condition of his master and decided to go along with the plan, even if it did come from the brat.

Once Sevlin helped Ryss load Raven into his cockpit, Sevlin momentarily held Sarah as Ryss set herself in the Krystal, afterward he finally went to climb into his own Zoid. Powering up, the Helkat stood from its crouched position and purred before pouncing and landing near the Geno Breaker. Two screens blipped on his terminal, one of Raven and the other of Ryss.

"I'm setting the coordinates," Raven paused as he took a torn breath. "Just follow me and don't wander off or fall asleep Sevlin, you don't have an Organoid, when you need rest, let us know."

Sevlin nodded intently to the man on the screen; he had finally earned some responsibility and he wasn't about to blow it now.

Raven returned the nod and disappeared from the screen. "Let's go Shadow."

The dark Organoid growled his acknowledgment and took charge of the Breaker, powering it to a hover and initiating the boosters to a forward motion and slowly accelerating so as not to discomfort his master any further. The other two Zoids followed soon after, speeding through the day and night alike.

---

In the control room of the Guardian Force base navigators scrambled to open the gates for the Zoids approaching at increasing speeds. Clearance wasn't needed for the navigators, they knew there was only one person with the only known Geno Breaker in the world.

The three Zoids parked near the front of the entrance as Van and Fiona came out to greet them. Pain shot to Raven's broken rib due to shock when he dropped from his cockpit and he nearly stumbled, but caught himself and merely flinched as he restrained a gasp.

"Raven are you-" Ryss started towards him, momentarily leaving Sarah in her cockpit.

She reached to help steady him but he refused with a sharp turn of his head. "I'm fine," he hissed in response as Van and Fiona met them.

"This can't be good news, you guys seemed to be in a hurry," Van greeted gravely, hands on his hips as Fiona came beside him worriedly.

"We're here to talk to the doctor Flyhieght," Raven rasped irritably, either because of the pain in his side or the pressure in his lungs, maybe both.

Van turned his head inquisitively and was about to reply when the Helkat purred and lowered its head to let its pilot out. Sevlin hopped out of his Zoid and walked to the Krystal, his head turned indifferently at the group as he stepped.

Raven didn't turn to look at him but simply waited while Ryss nodded to the boy as Sarah started to sob in the cockpit above him now.

"L-looks like you've been busy Raven," Van stuttered jokingly in surprise when the boy approached and turned Sarah over to her mother.

The dark Maverick scowled and applied a hand to his flaring rib as he marched around Van and through the entrance, ignoring him as if he was just an obstacle.

Ryss and Sevlin remained briefly as Fiona happily introduced herself to the new baby, and then Sevlin soon after. "And what's your name?" she wondered nicely.

Sevlin stayed silent; he didn't know these people and frankly, he didn't care, besides, Raven didn't seem to care to talk to them, so why should he? He waited patiently for Ryss to follow their leader; he would have already went in, but he didn't want to leave her alone.

"Ahw! Not another one," Van whined. "One Raven in a lifetime is enough thanks."

"Van," Fiona warned and Van sweat dropped in response.

"You two should come too," Ryss said as she stepped around them with a quiet, glaring Sevlin in tow. "This involves Bit as well."

"You're one to talk. Bit gets it from someone and it isn't me," Fiona muttered to Van as they followed behind.

---

"What in the world could have done this to you? I normally would have guessed you were injured from inside your Zoid, but those claw marks on you chest tell another story altogether," Doctor D. concluded as he entered the examination room.

Raven sat on the examination bench, his torso bandaged and shirtless, exposing Zachaule's five digit claw marks. He stepped off the bench and sorely pulled his shirt over his head. Ryss and Sevlin both sat to the side of the room, waiting patiently. "That doesn't matter," Raven replied, standing before the old man. "We need the coordinates of our son."

"Of course you do. People always want what they're not suppose to have," the doctor said cleverly and chuckled among his own humor.

Raven growled irritably but reined his outbursts as the doctor turned on his heel and headed out the door. "Alright then, come along."

Rolling his eyes in annoyance Raven glanced to Ryss shortly before all three of them stalking after the old, insane, Zoid scientist. Outside the room, Van and Fiona joined them as the group now walked together down the hall and towards the doctor's laboratory.

"So, what does all this have to do with Bit?" Fiona asked Ryss, concern shown on her face and voice alike.

"Vega and Bit are both in grave danger, that's why we're trying to find Vega, so we can protect him," Ryss explained soberly. "And you should keep Bit under heavy guard, though I don't know how much good it will do," she muttered sadly.

The two double doors hissed open, making way for Doctor D. and his followers. Inside the lab, workers and assistants worked away at their respective terminals, only stopping momentarily to greet the doctor. He cackled in reply and crossed to his own computer, swiftly running his fingers over the keys in order to bring up the heavily guarded file containing Vega's information, and most importantly, his location.

---

AN: I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, but I _should_ have more time to write now...hopefully anyway. Curious, is anyone even reading this anymore?


	24. The Countdown to Execution

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Zoids I would have made a movie of it already and sent it to theaters, but seeing as that's NEVER GONNA HAPPEN, I don't own Zoids, nada, nothing, zilch.**

AN: Many excuses, not enough time to reiterate, I suck, you hate me, glad we got all that off our chests. Now you can read with a clear conscience.(grin) Please enjoy the last chapter, though I am thinking about writing an Epilogue. So there will probably be 25 chapters in all. Read on you hardcore Zoidians!

**Chapter Twenty Four – The Countdown to Execution**

Thrust harshly into the crumbling brick wall by a cold steel paw at his chest, Raven howled in agony as his vision blurred and his consciousness slipped from his control. As he faced down the malevolent chrome-like beast mere inches away from his face, the maverick wondered, ironically, if this Zoid would be the last thing he would ever see.

He tried to chuckle, if nothing else just to make the damned cat annoyed, but he could do little more than cough blood with the thought that he would much rather spend his last moments of life with Ryss, or Vega, or Shadow, heck he'd even choose the stoic Specula over this abomination of science right now.

"I get the impression you delight in pain, _human_," came Zachaule's hissing, almost grating voice as he twisted his metal forepaw back and forth with added pressure to his victim's torso. "So forgive me when I say that I've grown bored of this little game of ours." Raven's eyes were mere slits of moisture at this point and his lungs were no longer capable of their natural functions. _Not much longer,_ he told himself as Zachaule raised his other forepaw while his rear legs compensated for the added weight. The long claws on the large Organoid's free paw riveting as though flexing, his blood red eyes glowed vibrantly with a sadistic intent. "Don't worry human, I am not so cruel that I would make you watch the slaughter of your children. Take pride in that you died protecting them."

Raven swallowed as the deadly blades came withing inches of his throat, but fear did not grip him, nor did he shy away from the demon's gaze. Instead, he mustered up as much oxygen as possible and gave his ragged reply to his executioner. "Go to hell, Zoid..."

Zachaule narrowed his crimson eyes with a low growl of annoyance. "Fighting to the bitter end," the metal beast nearly chuckled with a twisted, almost instant change in mood. "Very well," he answered back gravely, though grievance was not shown, only malice and an irony of a wrong justice flashed over the Organoid's artificial eyes as he slashed his sentence across his prey's throat.

With the maverick's last few seconds remaining alive, he wondered how things could have ever went so awry from the path of peace paved with blood and regret. Was there no mercy left in the world at all? Was this really the sort of retribution he deserved?

Beyond his executioner, Raven thought he beheld his wife's blue form through foggy, fading eyes, and he smiled in spite of himself and his dire fate. Perhaps the very last thing he would see was her, and with that prospect, he would not give this monster the satisfaction of breaking him.

This Raven's spirit would be the last thing to be broken because after everything he had been through, he wasn't about to give out when so close to the finish line. He would give his son a legacy, even if it wasn't one to be remembered.

_-Flashback-_

"_We need to go, Now!" Raven barked at his wife but sharply turned his alert gaze to the sounds of chaos beyond the east wall of the ruins. _

"_But, he isn't awake yet! He might go into shock if I move him!" Ryss shouted back, shifting her attention worriedly between Raven and Vega who was now standing in his half empty, though still discharging water, hibernation chamber._

"_We have to risk it, he's coming!" Fed up with Ryss' hesitation, Raven gathered his son in his arms, regardless of the woman's protests, and handed him over to her. "Move! NOW!" He roared, refusing to hear another word from her and led both her and Sevlin even further down the ruin's corridor while Shadow and Specula remained in the chamber room, valiantly guarding their master's escape._

_The two small Zoids growled low in tandem only seconds before something like an explosion collided with the stony wall in front of them. Rocks and pebbles flew everywhere, and the two Organoids were frozen in place among falling debris just as Zachaule's dark form crashed onto the scene through the newly open doorway. "Human!" the cat-like Zoid roared. Beyond him, a battle continued to rage on as the human alliance fought bravely against the new ligers, the tainted ones. "It is pointless! You cannot hide from me!" His eyes flashed crimson as he honed in on his targets with a satisfying hiss._

_Fumbling with Vega's weight, Ryss backed up to the nearest wall trembling with despair and horrified by their predicament. This was exactly how Zachaule described it would be; he would end up killing all of them._

_With widened eyes Raven turned to see the beast's slow but steady approach. His shock was not due to surprise, for he had been expecting the monster's arrival. Instead, it was the purpose in his gait, and the severity of Zachaule's bright, glowing eyes. This was what sent waves of worry through the maverick's body, but with one glance behind him, to see the innocence he was meant to protect, his resolve was renewed and empowered him for what he was about to do._

_Barking his instructions to Ryss to stay back, Raven set his focus on the enemy and did not look back to them. And as the deadly Zoid stepped ever closer, Raven unsheathed a sword that had previously hung at his side. It wasn't a blade forged from legends, nor was it something imbued by a blessing from some goddess of old. Rather, it appeared as a simple model of curved steel. _

_Now armed and holding the weapon firmly in both hands, the maverick would face his opponent._

_Zachaule gave a hearty, caged laugh with a stamp of his foreleg. "You really are a piece of work. Do you honestly expect to fight me, an armored beast, with a crude piece of metal? I assure you human, I am chrome through and through."_

_A smirk, one that had long since been absent from Raven's features, came across his mouth as he twisted the hilt until a loud 'click' was heard, soon after, the gray blade hummed a bright yellow as he took his stance. "It seems to work for Ligers well enough."_

_Both surprise and rage alike burned inside Zachaule's already blazing eyes, and with a mighty roar he charged. _

_With a clash, laser met armor and nail to flesh. Blood splattered the air among shreds of steel. The two stood parallel and backs to each other as the blows were equally registered. Raven knelt to one knee with a cry, his calf split open and bleeding. Zachaule hissed and flicked his left paw as he turned around, the said paw missing two claws._

_Raven already knew he was in trouble, he had been counting on that first strike to hit a vital area, but instead all he had done was block one of Zachaule's two paws, both full of sharp blades themselves. Regaining his height with an expensive amount of effort, Raven took a deep breath. He wasn't a natural swordsman, and he couldn't be expected to fight an opponent with twin blades, which was basically what Zachaule was, armed with two forepaws, not to mention the countless spikes he was covered in. Closing his eyes with a deep breath, Raven could almost feel his imminent impalement as the sound of Zachaule's clanking footfalls soon reached his ears._

_His leg was not about to last very long, in fact, with the horrid burning he didn't think it would support him long enough to even turn around and face the beast again. But then a voice suddenly cut through all his thoughts, all his pain, and he felt a conviction rise in his chest. "Lesson number 3, never let your enemy get behind you!" It was Sevlin, he was standing near Ryss and holding Sarah in his arms, which at this point was the only thing keeping him from backing up his mentor._

_With a distracted roar to Sevlin, Zachaule snarled and focused back on his enemy, his eyes seemed to radiate heat now, and the glow from them was so intense that they sent out beams of light appearing to be lasers themselves. His numerous remaining claws and spikes at their full, deadly length accompanied by his constant, unearthly growl. He seemed to have reverted so far inside himself that speech was no longer with him; he was nothing more than a machine now, a machine built for murder._

_Nonetheless, Raven faced him, once again raising his blade at the ready._

_In a dark flash Zachaule discarded the length between them and was upon the man within a second. The laser blade was driven upwards with such a force that it was embed to the ceiling and Raven likewise hurled into a boulder with a cringing wail. One shoulder erupted in agony with a fracture that was better off not thought about._

_With that target deemed eliminated, Zachaule switched his sights on his next victims, but no longer did he differentiate half-breeds to humans or Zoidians; they were now all labeled for slaughter._

_Mortified and speechless by the display, and her own inability to do anything about it, Ryss straightened up after setting the sleeping Vega on the ground near Sevlin. She stepped forward, and now only ten meters from the bloody monster she halted as did he. A standoff._

_With Zachaule in front of her and her children behind her, Ryss experienced once more the instincts of a mother; she would protect them now... until she died._

_He had surely changed, Ryss knew by the fact that he had usually tried to convince her to back down one last time. But he did not, and with his constant growl elevating with anticipation, Ryss was able to discern his strike before it came, thus she was able to dodge his initial charge. She was not, however, prepared for his lightning fast follow up. Within a matter of seconds Zachaule had pinned her, one paw on her left shoulder, the other pressed against the crook of her right arm._

_Her head already ached from her impact with the ground and she couldn't help but howl in pain as Zachaule applied a steady amount of pressure on her arm, until finally, it broke with a sickening crack and a piercing scream._

_Zachaule roared his victory over his prey, but was cut short by a disturbance from the side._

_With an enraged shout, Raven stood, his whole body trembled as he pushed it to its limits, the convulsions were no longer under his control, if he was to die anyway then why spare his body any pain? Some would call him crazy. Others would think him hungry for pain. _

_Many would admire his bravery._

_Raven indeed managed to tackle him away by throwing his entire being into the action, but in the end he did little more then move the beast a few feet away from Ryss and had accomplished impaling his same wounded shoulder on one of Zachaule's many red spikes._

_Something about the action brought Zachaule back to his senses and he graciously retracted the bloodied spike, letting Raven drop with a ragged cry, face first to the floor in a puddle of his own blood. He lowered his massive cat-like head, as though smelling for death. "Interesting. You should be dead by now."_

_Annoyed by the lack of a reply, Zachaule flicked the man over with little effort to see if he had fallen unconscious._

_His reply was a splatter of blood across the monster's metal face as Raven coughed involuntarily but was able to muster up a dark smirk. "What's wrong Zoid?...H-having trouble killing a lowly... human?"_

_With a furious roar, Zachaule dug his claws into the man's chest and thrust him into the nearest wall, making it crumble by the force of impact._

_-End Flashback-_

Something was wrong, flesh had not been rent, blood did not taint his already fiery colored claws. It took longer than it should have for realization to finally hit. The function of his forepaw had been reversed, and was now held at bay behind him as though preparing to strike. "What?" Zachaule rumbled and spun to get a look at what possibly could have stopped him, dropping his all but lifeless victim to the cold hard ground in the process.

Raven landed with a thud and a desperate and painful gasp of vital air for his abused lungs. He could see Ryss standing there, not ten feet away and about as battered as he, her right arm seemed useless as it hang limply at her side, and she looked unsteady on her feet, but what really caught his attention, was her good arm, raised and strained with a tremble as though holding up a great burden.

"You!" Zachaule snarled at the Zoidian, his teeth growing large with rage as he forced his previously frozen forwpaw to the ground with a crash.

As if in connection with his foreleg, Ryss' arm swung down and she winced in pain. "What do you think you're doing!" the Zoid thundered, his face now mere inches from hers.

Ryss did not flinch back from his swift approach nor did she cringe from his tone, but a fear like no other gripped hold of her when Vega cried for her and was now hugging her out of sheer terror.

With eyes of hatred and a bloodthirsty hiss due to his proximity to a half breed, Zachaule reared into a deadly pounce, as if all out to kill the boy with claws, teeth, and spikes until nothing remained.

"NO!" Ryss roared with a double-edged wrath and as if it was a reverberation, the great metal cat was sent flying into the ceiling above and as if that wasn't enough, ricocheted back down at an angel into another wall with an impact that formed a crater in the stone.

The stone crumbled and pebbles fell all around Zachaule's dented metal form followed by an eerie silence.

Ryss' breathing became heavy, her arm was shaky and held up slightly as her entire body quaked terribly. She thought she would collapse any second, but at the same time willed herself to remain standing; this monster wasn't done yet.

From among the rubble, movement could be heard and Zachaule's shadow could be seen through the smoke and dirt in the air. His low, rippling growl sliced the atmosphere, and his eyes flashed crimson once more. "Wench! How are you doing this?" he yelled in a fiery fury and Ryss heard him stagger to a standing position.

She braced herself and set Vega behind her with a gentle word regardless of the moment's dire circumstances. With a snarl from the Organoid, Ryss set her jaw stubbornly. She could feel the power of her heritage growing in her mind, even stronger than before. It was a new power, one that she believed was triggered by her will to protect Raven, Vega, Sarah, and even Sevlin. They were all dear to her now, she would not lose them, not like she lost Niccolo.

With a roar unlike anything heard from him previously, Zachaule surged out from his indention in the rocks, but his speed was hampered by a limp, and this gave Ryss all the time in world to stop him in his tracks. She did just so. As she steadied her arm, she brought it up and held him in place a mere foot away with one paw held at bay, ready to strike with the claws it was armed with but rendered useless in his current state of immobility.

For a long moment, the two simply stared at each other, not saying a single word. Pure hatred and malice was all that passed between them before the temporary peace was broken. Zachaule had glanced down to the whimpering Vega and his resolution burned as his eyes likewise blazed back to life. But before he could break free from the Zoidian's control, Ryss sent him crashing back into the same wall, only this time, she did not let up. This time, she pumped more pressure from her mind, causing Zachaule's plates to cave, his armor dented as he was slowly crushed. "No!" his cry was warped due to the damage, changing dramatically in pitch. "Do you... Even realize what you've done?"

"Yes, I do." Ryss slowly stepped closer to him, crushing him with every step she took, her eyes void of feeling and concern. "I just saved my family from a meaningless death." She focused the rest of her new power on the loosening boulder above him, pulling it down to deliver the final blow.

"No, don't-!"

One final shriek brought a relief to the world, and a finish to a cruel fate. An obsolete purpose was put to rest, and its science would rest forever with it.

Ryss finally allowed herself to drop to her knees, wincing as she bumped her broken arm. It was something quickly forgotten as Vega wormed his way under her good arm in order to hide there in his mother's embrace, sobbing. Ryss smiled warmly despite herself, claiming her prize in him and kissing his teal-black hair affectionately.

A moment of an eerie silence swept through the ruins, as though even the battle outside had quailed like that of a silenced storm.

Ryss soon found herself crying out of sheer relief, her tears wetting the boy's messy hair and holding him closer. She looked up when she heard four metal clanking footfalls, only to find it to be Shadow and Specula splitting off to their respective masters worriedly.

As Sevlin and Specula drew beside her, Shadow promptly proceeded in absorbing an unconscious Raven into his black metal plates in order to heal him.

Still holding Sarah, Sevlin knelt down next to her. "Are you alright?" he asked her, glancing to Vega, but disregarding him for the moment.

Ryss wiped her eyes with her good hand and nodded as Specula nudged her nervously, glancing between her and the ceiling as it began rumbling threateningly. "You're right Specula, we should go." Ryss tried to stand, but her energy had all but drained; she could do little more than stroke Vega's head at this point. "You'll have to do the work," she told Specula and Shadow with a sigh.

Shadow came near and nudged Vega with his snout before lifting him by his hibernation uniform. "Take care him," Ryss said, and with a lot of wailing and squirming on Vega's part, Shadow took off with an affirmative growl as rocks among pebbles started falling all around. This time Ryss turned to Sevlin. "Hold on to her," she instructed, referring to Sarah. "Specula will get us out, but it's going to be fast and jarring."

After a confident nod from the boy, Specula roared and took Ryss in just as Shadow with Raven, thereafter lifting Sevlin with Sarah into her unusually long Organoid arms before launching after Shadow in a blue blaze. Boulders crashed down upon the entire area, rendering the ruins to rubble, and Vega's supposed hibernation place, to a twisted Organoid's grave.

"C'mon Daddy! Get up, I wanna go play with Shadow!" Vega whined and bounced excitedly to his father, who at the time, lay motionless in a hospital bed at the Guardian Force HQ. Although Shadow had healed him completely, Raven was still too weak from his previous injuries to move much more than his head.

"Not now twerp," the maverick groaned, slightly annoyed but mostly exhausted. "Next time, you go head to head with a red-eyed demon and see how energetic _you_ are."

Ryss sat upright in her own bed a few feet away with a contented smile on her face and a cooing Sarah in her arms. Sevlin sat in a chair between them, a Zoids piloting magazine in his hands, hoping to read up on controlling higher class mechs to pass the time.

The following silence was relaxing for the group as Vega climbed onto the bed with his mother and new little sister, watching her curiously as he had only just recently been introduced to the baby, and to be honest, he didn't quite know what to make of her.

The quiet, however, was not a thing to last as a warning beep sounded near the door seconds before it opened with a hiss. With a casual gait, Van stepped in, his right hand on his hip and a wave with the other, Fiona following him discreetly. "Hey Raven, I bet you'd like to know what happened out there huh?"

Raven scowled and withheld his reply, brooding rather on why the door had not been locked, to prevent annoyances like him from ever entering.

After a moment had lapsed without a response Van merely shrugged and continued regardless. "Well anyway, sometime after you guys escaped from the ruins, all of the Tainted ligers shut down, and we were able to destroy most of them..."

"What do you mean, "most of them"?" Raven questioned, suddenly interested with a hard scrutiny towards his rival.

"Well," Van started sheepishly. "Shortly after they shut down, they restarted themselves, only they were much easier to fight. They turned into wild Zoids, with lousy AI systems. So we captured one, and with a pilot, it functions just like any other Zoid. Only..."

Raven listened intently, though his suspicions were becoming larger and more numerous. "Only what?"

"We have reports that the man in league with Zachaule kept a number of Tainted Ligers for himself, and that he's been organizing systematic attacks on random towns and villages before we can get there to protect them... They all describe the ligers like the one we captured," Van explained, hands behind his head leisurely in a bored gesture.

Raven said nothing in return, and instead narrowed his eyes at nothing in particular with a sound of contemplation, hoping to have some time to think and allow the information to sink in, but unfortunately for the maverick, Van had more to say...

"The council has decided to refer to this crisis as the Tainted Menace until it is resolved. I know you just got your family back together but, we could really use your help with this one. What do you say?"

"And just what am I _suppose _to say to that? Leave all the glory to you? Hardly Flyhight." Raven scoffed at him and looked out the window with a far off gaze. "Count me in. I'll fight. Until the day I die."

* * *

AN: My deepest apologies to everyone that had been waiting for this update for so long, and many thanks to TheCatWalk for the Zachaule fanart. For anyone that wants to see a detailed picture of Zachaule, go to my bio, then use the link to my deviantart account, and the pic should be in my favorites. It's so cool, much better than what I could ever draw. Anyway, as I said, I have one more chapter planned, so look forward to it!


	25. Epilogue

**Raven's Legacy**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a dern thing.**

AN: Last chapter, I hope you guys enjoy the semi-happy ending! After such a long wait I hope it meets your expectations... Note that this won't be focusing on Raven and Ryss quite so much, because there's actually sort of another pairing in here, as impossible as it is... But anyway, Enjoy!

**Chapter Twenty Five – Epilogue**

Five Years Later

"Hey, Old Man! Where are you?"

"Who's an old man? I'm not answering to that, Twerp."

"Whatever. Anyway, Mom says dinner's ready, you better come down before she comes searching for you herself."

"I'll come when I'm good and ready!" Raven snipped back, hardly glancing to the teenager around the Zoid he was currently working on.

"Alright." Sevlin shrugged, his eyes closed as though he couldn't care less. "I'll just have to send the secret weapon after you."

"Do whatever you want, I'm not coming until I'm done," Raven called back offhandedly as he tightened a bolt and looked up to see his Organoid asleep and perched atop the Zoid. "Shadow get up and lift the claw five clicks to the right."

Shadow growled and obeyed as Sevlin waved his hand dismissively and made his way out of the hanger. "You asked for it..."

Raven grumbled incoherent curses under his breath, muttering something or other about "know it all twerps" and then went about his work as usual.

Moments later the maverick was disturbed once again, only this time by a smaller voice. "Daddy! Daddy where are you?"

Raven glared at the open compartment of wires and bolts in front of him. _"I'm not meant to get this finished, am I?"_ he thought and set his current tool down with a clank before craning his neck around to see the child standing there, one hand waving while the other held a stuffed toy as it dangled and dragging on the floor.

The young child's blue hair was only more accented by her bright, turquoise eyes under the mop of her messy dark blue locks, all of which seemed to be framed around a timid smile.

With that, Raven's sour mood was promptly softened and he allowed a genuine smile to work over his features before grabbing the descention cable and lowering himself down. Upon touching down, he knelt to her level, tipping his head in a gentle expression that was so unlike him. "What is it princess?"

The girl timidly brought her toy up to her face, mumbling her answer into the stuffy. Her bright see green eyes regarded him eagerly.

At this point Raven didn't need to understand her words, and instead he held his smile and gave the girl's chin a light chuck before picking her up and started out of the hanger. "Let's go eat then."

In the dinner room of their Guardian Force apartment, Raven walked in, Sarah at his side, who announced their return with glee. Ryss smirked in response, not even bothering with a greeting. "Sarah 19 - Raven 0."

"Hardly." Raven rolled his eyes and sat down as Sarah ran off to another room, spouting something or other about toys.

Ryss sighed and placed a hand to her forehead, exasperated. "Sevlin would you-?"

"Got it," Sevlin said and followed after the child. Upon finding her he scooped Sarah up in his arms, toys and all, and after returning, plopped down at the dinning table with the girl in his lap, his head resting on hers affectionately. "Does Sarah love Sevlin?"

Sarah's face contorted into a ridiculous smile and answered most contrarily. "No!" Even with such a denial, the girl made no attempt to leave his embrace, but kept playing with her toys on the table.

"But Sevlin loves Sarah," the teenager stated, nuzzling her ear cutely in hopes of making her squeak with laughter, which it often did, with no exception at present.

After a fit of giggles, Sarah pushed his head away in all the seriousness a five year old could muster. "No," she answered, as though the statement needed correction.

"Yes he does," Sevlin insisted.

* * *

Ten Years Later

Gunshots erupted through the air on the training grounds of a Guardian Force Base. Targets were peppered by the bullets of some, the edges were punctured by many, but the red center was hit by few.

In other words, it was morning target practice for some GF new recruits, under the command of a certain coal haired colonel no less.

In an observation room not far off, a young teenager watched from the window, with anything but patience as a brunette beside her watched multiple terminals, as was her job as a navigator. "Their almost finished."

The teenager nodded eagerly in response.

Back outside, the target practice had ended, and Raven had begun his spiel about their lousy progress, with Sevlin, a lieutenant now, stood beside him, his arms folded casually. Raven gave a cant of his head to Sevlin, his eyes full of annoyance. "Lieutenant, do me a favor and show these maggots how its done."

Sevlin nodded with a smirk and drew a firearm from his holster, then proceeded to unload a round of perfect shots upon a fresh target.

Raven folded his arms and nodded with approval. "Now then gentlemen, that's how it's done. Learn it. Live it. I could care less if you love it." The colonel had only just dismissed them and turned to Sevlin when the lieutenant was over taken by a hug from a blue haired teenager.

Back in the observation room, where the said teenager had previously been waiting, Terra, the navigator looked around frantically for her assistant, only to see that she was outside already. "What?- Sarah what are you doing out there?! You have training in five minutes!- Ugh... Ryss is gonna kill me!"

After running up to and embracing him as though he were her true brother, Sarah was ignorant to the snickering and snide remarks directed towards her from the new recruits, as well as the glare her father was pinning on each and every one of soldiers that involved themselves in the activity. "Sevlin you did great!"

Sevlin chuckled a bit, trying his best to ignore the new recruits as he returned the hug. "Hey Sarah, thanks, but shouldn't you be-" Raven cleared his throat and Sevlin's sentence was abruptly cut short as Sarah turned and gave her father a fierce hug as well.

"Sarah, how many times have I told you not to interrupt me when I'm working?" Raven questioned, but the inquiry was received more as a light reprimand than a question._"Or rather, how many time have I told you and yet still enjoy it?" _he thought afterward with a smirk, one that did not go unnoticed by his daughter, and she promptly returned it with a knowing smirk of her own.

"Enough to encourage me even more," she replied smartly.

After cupping her chin and pressing his forehead to hers, Raven sent her on her way for her training, her training for the future. "Go on, you're mother's probably waiting for you."

"I know." Sarah sighed with a roll of her eyes. "My training for the future awaits," she said and departed, waving to both men as she did so.

Turning back to his trainees, Raven growled. "Well, since you all seem to be so lively, I've changed my mind. Now you get to do ten laps around the base track," he ordered, and his subordinates all groaned outwardly, only to get the lecture from the colonel in return. Meanwhile Sevlin continued to watch Sarah go with distant eyes, eyes that longed to follow her, even as far as the time unknown to him.

--

"I've trained my whole life for this purpose, I'm not turning back now!"

"So that's it then, you're really leaving us."

"Mom and dad are out there right now, fighting so I can do this!"

"No Sarah, they're out there right now, fighting for what they believe in. This, what you're doing right now, is _you_r decision. You need to make sure this is what _you_ want, and not just some responsibility that you've been wrongly charged with."

"Sevlin, I can't be selfish about this. Vega, in the future, he needs me," Sarah explained sadly. No, she didn't want to leave her family and everything she knew behind, but her choices were few, and although the disease that had plagued Vega was not yet apparent in her, there was always a chance that it would show up, thus she needed the vaccine in the future as well. It had all been planned out to the T; she couldn't changer her mind now, why didn't Sevlin understand that?

The problem was, Sevlin did understand. It was the acceptance that he was having a hard time with. As explosions and roars of Zoids could be heard outside the two of them looked to the capsule that held Vega captive in his deep sleep. Sarah would soon join him in slumber inside her own hibernation pod.

A battle between the Guardian Force and the Tainted Menace continued outside the hidden chamber, just as Sevlin fought a battle inside himself; he didn't want her to go, but at the same time, he knew he couldn't stop her. "Sarah, I'll never be able to live with myself if I let you go without telling you first!-" Abruptly he pulled her closer and kissed her lips tenderly, surprising her into shock no doubt, only to break away in order to fit her with an oxygen mask. "I love you, and even if you don't understand, it doesn't matter. Your destiny is different from mine, it always has been..."

Sarah stood there in utter disbelief and shock, even as Sevlin gently pushed her into the hibernation pod, she couldn't seem to comprehend why he had waited so long to tell her. After all she had only ever regarded him as has an older brother. She didn't even know how she was meant to respond, she wasn't even sure of her own feelings anymore.

Realization and the severity of the situation finally hit her, and although the sedatives were setting in, Sarah began to truly feel panic rise in her chest. "Sevlin, come with me, don't make me do this alone!"

As much as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't and he stepped away from her, pushing the initiation sequence and causing the pod to close. "We can't be selfish about this Sarah," he recited back to her with a smirk that held a mirthless humor. "Besides, you don't need me, you don't need anyone," he told her sternly and returned to the pod, pressing his hands to the glass to match hers in a symmetry parallel. "Be strong Sarah."

Sarah had unintentionally begun sobbing, wet tears dropped in a constant stream as they fell to mix with the serum that had already filled the pod halfway. "And don't forget me," Sevlin added, causing Sarah to shake her head in agreement.

Sevlin stepped through the doorway of the chamber and hit the key pad code, thus making the blast doors slam shut and lock, only to be opened from the inside, when Sarah's capsule would automatically disengaged its hibernation sequence in the future, on the exact date it had been programmed with.

Sevlin marched for the final exit, his heart broken, and his purpose fulfilled, he had little to live for aside from assisting his foster parents in the never ending war of which humans created with themselves time and again.

His love was one fated to be lost with the closing of a door. And an eternity that separated them forever...

--

Centuries Later...

"Are you sure about this Ma'am?"

"I said it didn't I? I've been preparing for this for five years. Don't question my orders again. Now do it," Sarah snapped, her arms folded as she looked upon her baby brother's hibernation capsule. _"Five years... and a millennium..."_

"Y-yes Ma'am!"

As the scientist scrambled to initiate the waking sequence, lights all across the terminal lit up, as did the green hibernation pod...

"_Wake up Vega, it's time we carry on the legacy left to us."_

_Fin_

* * *

AN: Yes Raven is(was) a colonel, I bet you're all happy about that. (grin) Anyway, I admit, this wasn't my best chapter, but I was having a hard time with it, and I just really wanted to finish this story after...what, four years? Anyway, hooray! It's finished, my thanks to everyone that reviewed and stuck with me all this time. You guys rock!


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